PINEVILLE, La. – May 12, 2020 – May is National Electrical Safety Month, and Cleco is offering tips on how to avoid electrical hazards which can cause fatalities, injuries and property loss.

“Each year, we use this time period to raise awareness, educate and assist our customers in keeping their homes and businesses safe and free from electrical hazards,” said John Melancon, Cleco’s director of corporate safety.  “With more families at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, paying attention to these hazards is even more important.  By taking simple precautions, we can avoid dangerous situations and stay safe.”

Tips to keep homes and businesses safe from electrical hazards:

• Have electrical work performed by qualified electricians.
• When a fuse operates or circuit breaker trips, determine the reason before replacing or resetting.
• Avoid placing cords in places where they can be damaged or pinched by furniture, such as under rugs or across doorways.
• Cords that are frayed or damaged should be removed and replaced immediately, not spliced or taped.
• Minimize the use of extension cords and never plug two extension cords together.
• Use light bulbs that correspond with the recommended wattage on the fixture.  Check the sticker on the fixture to determine the maximum wattage bulb to use.
• Inspect all electrical appliances before using them to ensure they’re properly grounded.
• Remember that water and electricity do not mix.
• Do not let children climb trees near power lines.
• Avoid overhead and underground power lines when you use a ladder, work on the roof, clean a pool, prune trees or dig in the yard.
• Never touch a downed power line or anything in contact with it.  Keep away and call Cleco or 911.

For more safety tips, visit www.cleco.com and follow Cleco on Facebook at @ClecoPower.

Information also is available on the Electrical Safety Foundation International website at https://www.esfi.org/.

Cleco Corporate Holdings LLC is a regional energy holding company that conducts its business operations through its subsidiaries, Cleco Power LLC and Cleco Cajun LLC. Cleco Power is a regulated electric public utility company that owns 10 generating assets with a total nameplate capacity of 3,360 MWs and serves approximately 288,000 customers in Louisiana through its retail business and supplies wholesale power in Louisiana and Mississippi.  Cleco Cajun is an unregulated utility company that owns eight generating assets with a total nameplate capacity of 3,555 MWs, with contracts serving nine Louisiana cooperatives, three wholesale municipal customers and one electric utility.  For more information about Cleco, visit us at www.cleco.com.