Earlier this week, a concerned shopper took to social media to inform Woolworths of a possible safety hazard at one of their branches.

On Twitter, the Melbourne shopper said it had been nearly a week since he reported a possibly dangerous find – a long electrical cord was hanging in front of mince packs in the meat aisle of the store.

Pictured below, a black wire that seems to be an extension cord is hanging above several packs of mince at a Woolworths branch in Polaris, Victoria.

“Customer safety should really come first,” said the shopper.

A long black wire is hanging above several packs of mince at Woolworths. Credit: Twitter.
​

An online representative from Woolworths has already responded to the customer’s tweet, thanking him for reaching out and saying that they appreciate his feedback.

“Rest assured we've passed your feedback to our Polaris Store Management Team for their review and awareness.”

And while extension cords in supermarkets are a common sight, having these power lines in places where unsuspecting people can touch them can be dangerous.

Using extension cords properly is critical to everyone’s safety, not just in supermarkets but in our homes, too. When continuously used over long periods of time, an extension cord can rapidly deteriorate, creating a potentially dangerous electric shock or fire hazard – especially if there is any exposed wiring.

So to avoid safety hazards such as electric shock, property damage or fires, here are some tips from the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) on how to properly use extension cords!

• Do not run through walls, doorways, ceilings, or floors. If a cord is covered, heat cannot escape, which may result in a fire hazard.
• Do not use an extension cord for more than one appliance.
• The appliance or tool that you are using the cord with will have a wattage rating on it. Match this up with your extension cord, and do not use a cord that has a lower rating.
• Do not overload extension cords or allow them to run through water or snow on the ground.
• Do not substitute extension cords for permanent wiring.
• Never use a cord that feels hot or is damaged in any way. Touching even a single exposed strand can give you an electric shock or burn.

We hope these tips will help you, folks!

Do you have more extension cords safety tips? Share them with us in the comments below!

 

[Colleen M]

Highly doubt that this would be an extension cord, more likely to be a cord from the light fitting that is attached within the shelving. Would assume that the small bracket that normally holds this cord in place has broken. Whilst this is still a hazard and not a good look, it is not uncommon to see and not just in Woolworths supermarkets either. In my time i have simply removed the light fitting until a service call was attended by an electrician.

 

[Vinylted]

" especially if there is any exposed wiring." If not then just report to management to refix. simple, why create a fuss just for the sake of it..