When short circuits are not interrupted promptly, electrical fires and explosions can occur.

To minimize the probability of electrical fire and explosion, the following are recommended:

Careful design of electric power system layouts.

Quality equipment installation.

Power system protection that provides rapid detection and isolation of faults.

Automatic fire-suppression systems.

Formal maintenance programs and inspection intervals.

Repair or retirement of damaged or decrepit equipment.

The following article describes incidents at three U.S. utilities during the summer of 1990 [8].

A. Are safety hazards associated with generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power by the electric utility industry greater than or less than safety hazards associated with the transportation industry? The chemical products industry? The medical services industry? The agriculture industry?
B. What is the public’s perception of the electric utility industry’s safety record?