Friend and Foe

As the world continues to develop, electricity has become an essential part of the daily lives. Most of us wouldn’t survive without electricity as it provides comfort by means of lighting and heating or cooling and helps in providing our basic needs. But by simple noncompliance, a man’s friend might turn into an enemy and destroy numerous lives and properties.

In the Philippines, hundreds of lives and millions or even billions worth of property has been destroyed by everyone’s foe, fire. The Bureau of Fire Protection stated that the three major causes of fire are from faulty electrical connections, lit cigarette butts, and open flames from attended stoves. And among these three, the top fire cause is the electrical connections. According to BFP 2016 statistics, 28.37% of the causes of fire are related to electricity. From these records, we can say that humans are the most responsible for this type of disaster.

In order to provide safety and protection for the public from any threats that may occur by using electricity, another building code has been created. The Philippine Electrical Code or PEC is intended to protect the general and properties by presenting different electrical work requirements aiming that the various use of electricity such as lighting, heat, power, communication, and other purposes will be used safely. The code also covers quality materials and guidelines for wiring, installation, and set of limitations (required loads) for the different types of occupancy. And similar to the other building codes, it is a must, specifically to the licensed practitioners in the field of electrical engineering, to follow these standards at all times for proper planning, designing, and such. This will ensure not only the safety within a particular structure but also its surrounding environment. So, it is highly recommended to practice electrical safety not only for you but also for the community.