The land administration team at Central wants all lake residents and recreational users to remember these tips when it comes to electrical safety around docks and in the water.
> All docks need continual inspections by their owners
Water movement can cause wear on your dock’s electrical equipment. We recommend monthly ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) testing of electrical equipment.
> Have both the dock and the power supply to the dock regularly inspected by a qualified electrician
Electrical problems in or near your house and lines feeding the dock can cause life-threatening problems, even with docks that meet code and have been inspected.
> Never swim around a dock where breakers or GFCIs are tripping
Heed the warning signs! If in doubt, swim away from the dock and get out! If a breaker of GFCI trips, something is wrong and the dock should be considered unsafe until a qualified electrician inspects and fixes the problem.
> Never attempt to energize or re-energize, engage a breaker or reset a GFCI while someone is swimming near the dock
Get the dock inspected and fixed before using or swimming nearby.
> Do not touch any part of the deck or adjacent docks if a tingle or shock is felt
Swim or get away from the dock, cables and attachments. Exit the water away from the source of the shock. If possible, swim to the shoreline and exit there.