Facilities Management Offers Space Heater Safety Tip

With winter beginning in just a few weeks and the temperature continuing to drop, the facilities management department is sharing a very timely and important safety tip regarding the use of space heaters on campus: do not plug them into power strips.

“People may generally plug space heaters into power strips, which are not rated for the current and can possibly cause a fire,” explained Mark Johnson, director of energy and utilities for facilities management. “If you are going to use a space heater, it should be plugged directly into an outlet rated for the appropriate wattage, without the use of an extension cord or a power strip.”

For more information, contact facilities management at 412.396.6011 or the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at 412.396.4763.