trip over a wire

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How to Prevent People from Tripping over Cords, Wires and Cables

Last Updated: December 23, 2021

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 17 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 62,664 times. Learn more...

It seems that everything has a cord attached to it. This can be problematic if you are operating a device in a high traffic areas. This article will teach you how to keep people safe from tripping over these cords.

Community Q&A

• Always secure your cord. If a person seriously injures themselves by tripping over your cord, you will be legally liable. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Never underestimate a person's ability to not see something. That brightly colored cord with fluorescent reflective stripes on it may seem impossible to miss to you, but someone somewhere will manage to miss it. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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How to Prevent Trip Hazards with Cable Protectors

This guide will provide you with in-depth information on how to prevent trip accidents with cable protectors., what are cable protectors, how to stop people tripping over cables and wires, what are the key features of cable protectors, where can indoor cable protectors be used, how to choose the best indoor cable protectors, where can outdoor cable protectors be used, how can you protect outdoor cables and prevent trip accidents, factors to consider when selecting outdoor cable protectors.

Products that offer protection against crushed wires and cables are often referred to as cable protectors . These types of protectors are often manufactured from flexible, yet durable PVC. In order to fit different requirements, the protectors are available in a number of lengths from 3 metres to 9 metres. They not only provide protection for what they cover, but also prevent trip accidents where wires and cables would have previously trailed loosely across a room or outdoor space.

Cable protectors are essential for preventing trip hazards created by trailing wires and cables, individuals could also be protected from an electrical shock. To prevent these kinds of trips in the workplace the HSE recommend to:

look out for trip hazards, such as uneven floors or trailing cables, and encourage good housekeeping by your workers.

Regular health and safety audits will also ensure any problems are taken care of.

Another important factor is the protection provided for wires, cables and computer cords from being crushed or pulled. Most cable protectors feature sloped edges to further prevent accidents and buckling of wheeled traffic, such as wheelchairs and trolleys.

The aesthetic of a room can also be improved, due to messy cables being concealed. Something else to consider is that these types of trip accidents can result in legal action, so it’s essential to get cable protectors installed where required.

• Easy to fit install, loose lay.
• High visibility options with yellow strips.
• Manufactured from durable PVC.
• Channel opening on the reverse to conceal wires or cables.
• Most are suitable for indoor and outdoor environments.
• Suitable for all indoor facilities.
• Public spaces.
• Our cable protector mats are only suitable for indoor use, they act as lightweight cable floor protectors.

• If increased visibility is a priority, you’ll want to ensure the protectors have hazard stripes .
• You may also want to consider if the cables being protected travel in the same direction. If not, then a cable protector with multiple cable channels will be more suitable. Depending on the size of each cable or wire, more than one can be secured in each channel.
• It’s recommended to safely protect larger cables with the most appropriate protector with larger channels .
• Entry level cable protection starts with a cable protector mat . These mats are easy to install by simply laying them over loose cables or wires. Key features include a cleated non-slip backing made from durable nitrile rubber with an integrated cable run. Cable protector mats are also anti-static and suitable to be used over underfloor heating. The hazard edging provides extra protection against trip hazards.

• Exhibitions
• Loading bays
• Construction sites
• Indoor industrial environments
• Outdoor high traffic areas

Outdoor cable management ensures that cables and wires are protected from being crushed, pulled and worn down by wheeled and pedestrian traffic. Often in outdoor spaces individuals do not expect to come across trialling cables, so they are easily missed resulting in trip accidents. It’s essential that they are concealed and protected with heavy duty cable protectors designed for outdoor use. If inappropriate protectors are used, that are not designed for outdoor use, the risk level will not be reduced effectively.

• Will cars or forklifts or other heavy wheeled traffic pass over the cables?
• Do the protectors have sloped edges to prevent pedestrians from tripping?

How to prevent loose cables on the floor?

Preventing loose cables on the floor is not only important for keeping the area organised but also for safety. Here are some tips to help you manage cables:

Invest in cable management solutions like cable protectors or cable mats. This will hide any visible cable and avoid it being hazardous to anyone using this path. Our cable mat is highlighted with a yellow border to create more awareness of the caution required.

• General purpose cable mat for use indoors only:

CablePro Mat

• All-purpose cable protectors ideal for indoor and outdoor use:

CablePro Data

CablePro GP

• Heavy duty cable protector option, which is ideal for wheeled traffic or larger cables outdoors:

CablePro HD

Learn more on how to prevent loose cables on the floor by contacting our sales team to get the best solution for your site.

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Covering Cables: Cable Trip Hazard Prevention

If your house is anything like mine, it’s overrun with cords and wires. They snake over every open surface, connecting video game consoles to the TV, the TV to an extension cord, and the extension cord to the wall. This cacophony of cables is frustrating at best, but when left unchecked, cords and wires can be a dangerous tripping hazard—and when kids are running through a house drowning in cords, that danger is even greater.

Here on the Troomi blog, we’ve already talked about how to keep your kids safe from outlets and how to prevent pets from chewing on cords . What we haven’t touched on, however, is how to protect the whole family (including pets!) from tripping on loose cables. The best way to do this is by protecting the cables themselves.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s make like an Olympic swimmer and dive into Troomi’s how-to guide on cable trip hazard prevention.

Why Is It Important to Protect Cables?

Before we talk about how to protect your cables, let’s talk about why it’s important to do so.

You’ve probably already thought of the first reason: tripping over cords could lead to serious injury. According to the CDC , tripping over stray clutter can cause injuries such as “sprains, strains, bruises, bumps, fractures, scratches, and cuts.” Tripping may not sound too serious to us adults, but it’s a different matter for children. Their bodies and bones are still developing, and as a result, kids have a higher chance of sustaining serious injuries, like broken bones, when they fall.

Protecting wires also keeps your family safe from electric shocks. If cords have exposed live wires, they may create a zap when touched. This means that when kids trip over an exposed cable, they could shock themselves with a bolt of electricity. Electrocution is no joke. To make sure that you’re prepared for potential shocks, check out this article from Healthline.

Safeguarding your kiddos from harm isn’t the only reason to protect your cables, though. Protecting cords also prevents your cords from sustaining any unnecessary wear and tear. When cords are left scattered on the floor, they’re subject to getting tangled and trampled on. Finding replacements for damaged wires can be a pain, but protecting your stray cables can really extend their lifetime. Leaving wires susceptible to wear and tear may also compromise a cable’s protective covering, exposing the inner live wires.

How Can I Protect Cables to Prevent Tripping?

Now that we know why it’s important to protect your cords, let’s look at a few ways you can do this:

• Strap cables together with velcro bundlers. When you have a ton of wires in one area, it’s difficult to know how to keep them organized and out of the way. Cable bundlers, like these Velcro brand ones , make it easy. To tame a web of wires and cords, simply wrap the strap around a group of cords, then secure them away from highly trafficked areas. Voila!
• Secure cords with adhesive backed cable clips. If velcro bundlers aren’t your speed, try protecting your cords with cable clips, like these ones I found on Amazon . These clips make it easy to secure cables to out-of-the-way places like the wall or ceiling. Just take off the adhesive backing, stick the clip to a flat surface, and snap the cable into place.
• Conceal wires with a cable concealer. Cable concealers make it easy to protect your cables and your kids while maintaining a clean and organized living space. All you need to do is thread your cables through the hollow channel, then secure the concealer somewhere safe. Easy!
• Cover heavy duty cables with a cable protector. Professional cable protectors are a bit more heavy duty than the previous options, but that just means that they’re all the more reliable. These cable protectors are great for the workplace, the garage, or your chalk-art-filled front driveway.
• Tape them up with good ol’ fashioned duct tape. You know it, you love it, and you’ve probably used it for anything from crafting a wallet to fixing a spontaneous leak. Covering wires with duct tape is a cheap and easy option for families on a budget. Just collect your cables into one place, then secure them to the floor or a wall with a long strip of duct tape.

Keep Your Kids—and Cables—Safe From Harm

Between televisions, video game consoles, and cell phone charging cables, it can feel like cords run your home. With all these wires, cable trip hazard prevention may seem intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be! With these simple tips, you can protect your kids—and your cables—from any potential harm.

We here at Troomi are dedicated to your kids’ safety, and that extends beyond protecting them from stray wires. Smartphones from Troomi Wireless make it easy for kids to explore technology, free from dangers like anxiety-inducing social media and adult content. Click here to learn a bit more about how Troomi can help your kids safely navigate our modern world. Then, come back to the Troomi blog for more tech tips and tricks that you won’t want to miss!

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Trip-over-the-wire Definition

To make a mistake.

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SafetyRisk.net

Humanising Health, Safety and Risk

Cable Covers and Protectors – Prevent Trips and Falls

August 26, 2012 by Admin Leave a Comment

CABLE COVERS and PROTECTORS V COMMON SENSE

Do you know the difference or understand the implications of choosing the wrong product and are they replacing good old fashioned common sense?

Cable Covers are a Trip Prevention product, or personal safety product in that they are designed to reduce or at the very least, control any risk of personal injury due to a potential trip hazard. Unfortunately there is currently no Australian Standard for the design of cable covers, however, it’s generally considered that anything over 7mm constitutes a trip hazard so this could be a good starting point.

Cable Protectors are an Electrical Safety product in that they are designed to protect cords and cables from damage. There are a number of Australian Standards for the design and construction of cable protectors but given the purpose for which they’ve been designed, are generally quite bulky and have the potential to discriminate against the elderly or disabled. Used incorrectly they are often more of a trip hazard than the cords or cables themselves.

Before you use or purchase either of these products you need to first ask yourself, does the cord actually need to be there. The easiest and most common sense way to address what seems to be a universal issue, trailing cords and cables, is to remove them. Redesign your setup, use wireless devices, and if you need to use cable covers/ protectors, minimize their use. Cable covers and protectors should be a last resort, not the first choice. I’ve actually had someone tell me that they use a chair to stop people tripping over cords and cables, “never seen anyone trip over a chair” he said, and it was a good point.

The next question should be, what is the paramount consideration, protecting cords and cables or protecting people from injury? If it’s protecting cords and cables then make sure your product is highly visible and positioned so as not to discriminate against the elderly or disabled and isn’t a trip hazard in itself. Cable protection is rarely if ever required indoors but unfortunately the convenience of some of the popular black rubber or plastic cable protectors often outweighs the risk they can present. Unless you’ve got vehicles driving  around your meeting or boardrooms (and if you have you’ve got bigger problems than cable protection) there is absolutely no need to use Cable Protectors.

If protecting people from the risk of injury is the paramount consideration (and to my way of thinking should always be) then you need to minimize peoples exposure to the risk. Remove the cords and cables or redesign your setup and choose the “safest” route for your cords, not just the “shortest”. Minimize the need for the use of cable covers by running your cords around the perimeter of the room (I’ve never seen anyone trip over a wall) and only use Cable Covers where a cord or cable presents a trip hazard. Make sure the Cable Cover you choose is designed for the purpose for which it’s being used, a Trip Prevention product, under 7mm high and highly visible. If possible choose a product that’s been independently risk assessed.

These products are no longer available, lots of alternatives here : https://safetyrisk.net/floor-cable-covers/

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Preventing Tripping Accidents in the Workplace

By: cableorganizer®.

Maintaining a safe working environment for all the employees at your workplace is a vital part of your job. Walking around the work area will help you locate any tripping hazards that might be accessible to the employees. Tripping hazards in the workplace happen frequently and can often lead to unwanted lawsuits. By taking a few simple precautions, tripping accidents in the workplace can be avoided.

AVOID TRIPPING HAZARDS ON ELECTRICAL CORDS AND CABLES

Your tripping hazard risk is increased if you must run electrical cords or cables across walkways in your workplace. You can avoid accidents there — and at the same time protect your cables and cords — by covering them up with Bumble Bee Cable Protectors .

For cords that are only going to be on the floor for a short while — or when purchasing covers are not in the budget — using Cable Path™ Tape to cover the cords might help to avoid a tripping accident.

If your workplace has cords and cables on the floor that must be changed or rerouted regularly, you can place them in a cable raceway along the wall. The raceways are easy to install, flexible, and durable; and can also be painted to match the décor of your workplace.

Placing cords and cables on the floor with covers and protectors , instead of hanging them over the doorway or chair where they are accessible to everyone, will help to avoid accidents in the workplace.

HOW TO AVOID TRIPPING HAZARDS ON PHONE AND COMPUTER CABLES

Your workplace probably has many phones and computers with cables and wires running out of the back and onto the floor. You can avoid many accidents in the workplace by securing these cables and putting them out of sight with a cable manager . The cable manager will also protect your cables from snags and liquid spills. They will also give you a neat, clean floor.

Cable wraps will rid your workplace of messy cables and clutter. These are easy to use, adjustable, and reusable. The large variety of colors available for the wraps is ideal for color coding your cables.

For hiding excess phone cables and computer cables, the Cable Turtle is available. You can wind the unnecessary wires around the Turtle and close the shell. This will free up the walkway area and help to prevent any tripping accidents in the workplace. They can additionally work to organize mouse and keyboard cables.

FACTORY WIRE AND CABLE MANAGEMENT

To prevent tripping accidents in an industrial setting, heavy-duty cord protectors can be used, such as those made by Bumble Bee® or Yellow Jacket® . These can withstand tremendous pressure from foot traffic and vehicle traffic, while also preventing tripping accidents.

By using these products, your workplace can be free of any hazards that could be caused from unnecessary placement of cords and cables.

Other Great Products for Workplace Cable Management Include:

• • Cable-Safe Complete Cable Manager
• • Guard Dog® Low Profile 3 Channel Cable Protectors
• • Linebacker® 5 Channel Cable Protector

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• What is a Trip Wire and How Do You Use It?

February 03, 2021

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What is a trip wire? 

As its name suggests, a trip wire is a thin line of wire (or other material) that is intended to cause an intruder to trip over it, thus triggering a mechanism elsewhere that will activate an alarm. The wire is stretched tight and low to the ground between two fixed points, where it will be unseen. When an unwanted visitor trips over the wire, it activates an alarm system, which can be as crude or as elegant as you have the time and materials to construct. Trip wires have been used for hundreds of years by military, police, and civilians alike.

Trip wire comes in a variety of materials. Wire is often preferred due to its rigidity, but multifilament silicon coated Kevlar is also an excellent and more flexible option. In a pinch you could even use fishing line or string.

How do you use a trip wire?

A basic trip alarm system is essentially a simple booby trap. The alarm signaling device will be tethered to a length of trip wire. When the wire is pulled hard enough (presumably by someone tripping over it), it activates the device which alerts you to the presence of an intruder. It couldn’t be simpler! 

Trip wire can also be used independently of a signaling device as an all-purpose wire for whatever purposes you need.

When might you need a trip wire?

Trip wires are often used, with or without a signaling device, for applications such as:

• Perimeter alarms
• Boundary setting
• DIY animal trapping 
• Securing gear

Where can I get a trip wire?

Although just about any kind of string or wire can work in a pinch, the Kevlar Trip Line included in our Tripwire Alarm Kit makes excellent trip line (it’s not actually wire) due to its flexibility and ease of deployment. Get yours here:  https://tihk.co/collections/urban-survival-gear/products/tripwire-alarm-kit

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We welcome feedback, comments and suggestions for improvements to the Services. You can submit feedback by emailing us at [email protected]. You grant to us a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, fully-paid, royalty-free, sublicensable and transferable license under any and all intellectual property rights that you own or control to use, copy, modify, create derivative works based upon and otherwise exploit the feedback for any purpose

TIHK Content

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, TIHK grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicenseable license to access and view the content we create, post, upload, or otherwise make available to you (“TIHK Content”) solely in connection with your permitted use of the Services and solely for your personal and non-commercial purposes. You may not: (i) copy, modify or distribute TIHK Content for any purpose; (ii) transfer, sublicense, lease, lend, rent or otherwise distribute TIHK Content to any third party; (iii) decompile, reverse-engineer, disassemble, or create derivative works of TIHK Content or the Services; or (iv) use the Services in any unlawful manner, for any unlawful purpose, or in any manner inconsistent with these Terms. You acknowledge sole responsibility for and assume all risk arising from your use or reliance of any TIHK Content.

Application of Products

Application.

Certain of our products may feature sharp objects, or objects with an inherently elevated risk of physical injury. None of TIHK’s products are designed with testing and components for a level of reliability suitable for use in or in connection with surgical implants or as critical components in any life support systems. None of TIHK’s products are intended as a medical or life saving device.

In any application, including the above, where a product use would create a risk of harm to property or person (including the risk of bodily injury and death) it is the sole responsibility of the persons contemplating such use to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, codes and standards. To avoid damage, injury, or death, the user must take reasonably prudent steps to protect against failures. The user is ultimately responsible for verifying and validating the suitability of TIHK products whenever you intend to use any such product.

Compliance with Local, State & Federal Regulations 

Certain of our products may contain features that may be regulated in your state. You are solely responsible for complying with local, state and federal laws. Your use of the product is at your risk and discretion. We are not responsible for your use of the product in any way including complying with any application laws or regulations in your state. 

Payment & Delivery

Price & payment terms.

TIHK products are intended for your own personal use and not for resale, unless authorized in writing by TIHK. In order to make a purchase (or two, or three...!), you will need a valid credit card. You agree to provide only information that is accurate and current, and that you have authorization to provide. You may choose to save the information you enter for the next time you visit the Site or make a purchase. You may be charged additional fees, taxes or other costs, in addition to the retail price of our products. For more information about how we handle credit card and other personally identifying and sensitive personal information you may provide us, please read our Privacy Policy at http://tihk.co/pages/privacy-policy . Please note that you are subject to the terms and privacy policies of, and proceed to use at your own risk, any payment processors we may offer for your use, such as Stripe and PayPal. All transactions are secure and encrypted, and we never store your credit card information.

TIHK offers you the several shipping options to ensure delivery of your purchased items. TIHK does not and cannot control the delivery carrier’s estimated or actual time of delivery of the items, and TIHK does not and cannot take the responsibility of ensuring that you have received your items. Please enter an accurate and accessible shipping address to ensure prompt delivery.

Back Ordered Items

Orders that contain a combination of in-stock and back ordered items will ship once all products are in stock.

Returns, Exchanges & Refunds

If you are unsatisfied with your items for any reason, you may return it within thirty (30) days from delivery. Items must be unused and in original packaging. Please contact us with your order number to initiate a return. Any custom/built-to-order items are not returnable. To return your product, you should mail your product to:

1941 1st Ave S #3E

Seattle , WA 98134

You are responsible for your own shipping costs for returning your item(s). Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund. If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We do not guarantee that we will receive your returned item.

TIHK warrants its products from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of thirty (30) days from delivery.  This limited warranty shall not apply to damages due to: a) abuse, misuse, or neglect of the purchased item(s); b) modifications or repairs made to purchased item(s), other than those made by TIHK; c) improper use; or d) excessive mechanical, physical, electrical stress, or environmental stress on the purchased item(s).

Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund. If you are approved for a refund, it will be processed, and a credited to your original method of payment automatically.  If you have requested an exchange, we will notify you of shipment of the items upon shipment.

Links and Advertisements of Third Party Websites

The Services may contain links to or advertisements of third-party websites or resources. We are not responsible for the content, products or services on or available from those advertisements, websites, resources or links displayed on such sites. You acknowledge sole responsibility for and assume all risk arising from, your use of any third-party websites or resources.

Termination

Upon any termination, discontinuation or cancellation of Services to you, all provisions of these Terms which by their nature should survive will survive, including, without limitation indemnification, warranty disclaimers, limitations of liability, and dispute resolution provisions.

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless TIHK, or its officers, directors, employees agents, suppliers and partners, from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, debts, or expenses (including but not limited to attorneys’ fees), to the extent allowed by applicable law, that arise from or are caused by: a) your use of and access to the Services; b) your violation of these Terms; or c) your violation of any third party right, including without limitation any copyright, property, moral or privacy right. This section shall survive these Terms and your use and termination of the Services.

Representations and Warranties; Disclaimers

THE SERVICES AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS,” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, WE EXPLICITLY DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, QUIET ENJOYMENT OR NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING OUT OF COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. WE MAKE NO WARRANTY THAT THE SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR BE AVAILABLE ON AN UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE BASIS. WE MAKE NO WARRANTY REGARDING THE QUALITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, TRUTHFULNESS, COMPLETENESS OR RELIABILITY OF ANY CONTENT.

Limitation of Liability

NEITHER TIHK NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING THE SERVICES, PRODUCTS OR TIHK CONTENT WILL BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOSS OF DATA OR GOODWILL, SERVICE INTERRUPTION, MOBILE DAMAGE OR SYSTEM FAILURE OR THE COST OF SUBSTITUTE SERVICES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE TERMS OR FROM THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICES OR CONTENT, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), PRODUCT LIABILITY OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT CLASSPOP HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE, EVEN IF A LIMITED REMEDY SET FORTH HEREIN IS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT WILL TIHK’S TOTAL LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE TERMS OR FROM THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICES OR CONTENT EXCEED THE LESSER OF THE AMOUNTS YOU HAVE PAID TO TIHK FOR USE OF THE SERVICES OR TIHK CONTENT OR FIFTY DOLLARS ($50), IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD ANY PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS TO TIHK, AS APPLICABLE.

Waiver of Liability 

TIHK is in no way responsible or to be held liable for any claims, including for physical, bodily or financial injury, arising out of your use of TIHK product(s) on the whole, and your use of TIHK product(s) in your state, and you are subject to the additional terms and policies of each applicable private venue, local, state and federal laws as applicable.

Dispute Resolution

We prefer to resolve things amiably when possible therefore, you agree to the following dispute resolution policy in connection with any potential claims or disputes arising from your use of the Application. Start by notifying us of your dispute by sending a notice via our contact form .

• Informal Negotiations : Parties to a dispute concerning the Terms, the Privacy Policy, or the use of the Services will attempt to informally negotiate a potential settlement or resolution to the dispute;
• Arbitration : In the event that informal negotiations are unsuccessful, the parties agree to follow the arbitration procedures set forth by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to resolve the dispute.
• Binding Arbitration : If for any reason arbitration is unsuccessful or unavailable to the parties, parties agree to submit to binding arbitration in the State of Washington. Each of us is responsible for paying our own filing, administrative and arbitrator fees. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

Entire Agreement

These Terms, and any future updates we make, constitute the entire and exclusive understanding and agreement between you and TIHK. If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of these Terms invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the other provisions of these Terms will remain in full force and effect. You may not assign or transfer these Terms, by operation of law or otherwise, without our prior written consent. Any attempt by you to assign or transfer these Terms, without such consent, will be null and of no effect. If we provide certain notices or other communications to you, we will place the information on the Site. 

TIHK’s failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights. The waiver of any such right or provision will be effective only if in writing and signed by a duly authorized representative TIHK. Except as expressly set forth in these Terms, the exercise by either party of any of its remedies under these Terms will be without prejudice to its other remedies under these Terms or otherwise.

Questions & contact information

If you have any questions regarding these Terms, please contact us.

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19 Products That’ll Help You Hide Pesky Cords

We need 'em but we sure don't like looking at 'em.

BuzzFeed Staff

1. A flat outlet plug  to disguise cords in plain sight (like on your kitchen backsplash) *or* to help you move your couch a few inches closer to the wall. (Every square inch of floor space is precious!) 

My colleague Chelsea Stuart is a fan: "I have an outlet next to my bed and would always have to move the mattress a bit to plug in my MacBook cord, but now that I have this I don't have to move anything. The cover is connected to an extension cord and power strip with three outlets, so it actually gives you more options than your regular ol' wall outlet."

Promising review : "Did y’all know they made these?!? I was movin' some furniture around in the guest room, and my beautiful bride just wasn’t happy with how far the dresser stood out from the the wall because of the TV plug.  I did some searchin' on the old internet and found these for sale on Amazon.  I put it on the outlet behind the dresser and shoved it into place. My beautiful bride was very pleased! Just so y’all know, the wall plug is indeed flat, and it’s designed to cover the whole plug when ya use it.  It’s flatter’n a bug in a windscreen and works great!" — James P.

Get it from Amazon for $23.95+ (available in five different lengths/configurations).

2. A flexible power strip with three outlets, two USB ports, and a five-foot extension cable that'll ~bend~ to your whims and keep your plugs within reach but tucked under your bed dust ruffle. 

iJoy is a small business that specializes in headphones and tech accessories. 

Promising review : "I saw this on TikTok, so I ordered one. I absolutely love it. Everyone needs one in their life." — Dani Jo Stengsar

"I rarely write a review (this is the second in the past few years). One of the best purchases in a long time. Nice design and very practical. It solves all of my problems as it can go any direction. It's worth every penny. I turned around and bought two more. I am about to buy my fourt one. Love this!" — Pond P. 

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four colors). 

3. A set of  cable clip organizers  because you need your phone charger by your bed but you don't have to trip over it or make it take center stage. These'll help you reroute its path *exactly* where you need it to go. 

Promising review: "It was always a pain to reach down the side of my bed to reach my chargers, not to mention the wad of cables I’d have to sift through just to charge my phone. I finally searched for a solution and came across these. They’re great! They’re really easy to stick on and they stay in place. I haven’t had an issue of them falling off. Whenever I need to charge a device they’re right next to me, easy to reach and untangled. I definitely recommend!" — Nelis Perez

Get a six-pack from Amazon for $6.96 .

4. Or some moldable glue to help you fashion a handy cable holder — and maybe even keep a Lego figure in place. Oh, and it can also repair fraying cords so you can put off replacing them sooo much longer.

Promising review: "I was skeptical, but this stuff has already saved me $60 . My Macbook charger was fraying by the magsafe connector and I was looking at having to spend $80 on a new one. I saw this stuff online and decided to give it a try. Took one of them out of the package and it was soft and malleable, like putty. I molded and shaped it around the break in the cord, and below the break and over the magsafe connector. After 24 hours, it was hard rubber that was stuck to the cord and magsafe connector like glue . I can see this lasting a long time. It'll probably still be going strong long after I decide to retire this Macbook and move on to another. Incredible stuff!" — Scott K

Get an eight-pack from Amazon for $19.99 (available in several color combos).

5. A six-outlet wall charger  can comfortably fit all the chargers you require without having to figure out charging cord paths or how many surge protectors you need. Plus! it has two USB fast-charging ports *and* a night-light.

Promising review: "Better than any strip! Saw this on TikTok and it’s everything. Love the auto night-light feature. So versatile and compact. Worth every penny. Will be ordering more." — Kelly

Get it from Amazon for $17.97.

6. An  electrical cord cover  that'll look like it's just part of the decor while it distracts from an unsightly lighting chain or cord.

Promising review:  "Easy to use, matches my wall color perfectly. Love the way it looks and how it hides my cords." — Devron Wall 

Get it from Amazon for $20.17+ (available in 22 colors and packs of two).

7. An adhesive cord organizer  made specifically to stick on the back of appliances to tidy up your counters. Finally, your slow cooker and blender can peacefully cohabitate. 

Tidywrap is a small business established in 2022 that specializes in adhesive cord organizers. Note: these are meant for use on appliances only; the adhesive is removable, but may harm paint or wallpaper upon removal. 

Check out a TikTok of the cord organizer in action. 

Promising review : "I got this for my minimalist husband who hates getting 'things' for gifts, almost as much as he hates clutter. He was practically giddy after we installed several of these on various kitchen appliances . It’s not just storage — but moving the appliance around from its storage location to the countertop is a nicer experience. He was seriously swinging around a food processor with one hand saying 'this is so much neater!' To each their own I suppose. For us normies, it does exactly what it’s supposed to. Easy to stick on, I like that it holds the plug neatly as well. I would love if it came in white, but the gray is a nice neutral." — Elizabeth L. 

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two colors). 

8. Plus a  pack of six cord bundlers  because sometimes you have to leave your fan out in the open but bundling the cord on the back of it will help eliminate some more visual clutter (and trip hazards). And! These take up less real estate on the back of your appliance so it'll easily fit on a variety of stuff. 

The bundlers work like any other Command product — with damage-free adhesive.

Promising review : "I have one of these attached to almost every cord-having thing I own, and for maybe $30 in total I feel like my whole life got a face lift. My stand mixer looks better on the counter, and it stays clean even when everything else is a mess. My space heaters store so neatly in the linen closet. I have an HDMI cord bundled to the back of each TV. There's a bundler stuck between my car's dash and console, which holds two phone chargers. Truly, especially for the price, I could not recommend something more highly." — Amber Stewart

Get it from Amazon for $11.98 .

9. A  bookish disguise  will tidy up a modem-y mess as a decorative touch that's more useful than anyone could expect.

Covogoods is a Utah-based shop that specializes in storage solutions. 

Get it from Covogoods on Amazon Handmade for $29 (available in a variety of colors and sizes).

10. An outlet shelf *just* large enough for your electric toothbrush or an Echo Dot in a way where you can easily contain the charging cords. If you've put on a regular outlet cover, you've got this!

FYI, it installs like a regular outlet cover. Of course except with the wonderful shelf. Can also be installed so the shelf is below the outlet.

Promising review: "I absolutely love this thing! I have much less clutter on my sink thanks to this. If there's anyone not sure if it will fit due to an object, all you need is 1.25 inches of space between the edge of your existing outlet plate and the piece of furniture. I have a GFCI with a standard wall plate." — Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in four colors).

11. Some  heavy-duty bungees  you can use to coil up extension cords (and other heavy things) so you don't trip over them on the floor or waste precious shelf or cabinet storage space on them. 

Also, you can "waterfall" these cords, aka hang the hooks on each other, for easier storage. 

Promising review: "I really like this organizer. I used them in my garage to hang two 150-foot outdoor electrical cords, and folding patio chairs. Great idea and much stronger than bungee cords." — Ann Lajuan

Get it from Amazon for $16.97+ (available in six color combos).

12. A discreet cord cover  because you successfully mounted your TV on the wall — but now the cables are distracting you from your annual fall  Buffy rewatch. 

Promising review : "This is the perfect solution for hiding a cord! It looks like it is just a part of the base board. Mine is covering a cable wire only, but I think they are big enough to hide more than one cord if needed. I didn’t cut mine, and I bought two. You can tell where the two meet if you look closely. However, I do not think anyone would notice. I can’t believe I let our cable cord sit across the floor for this long. I wish I would have found these sooner! " — Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in three sizes and five colors).

13. An  expandable bundler  that'll keep cords *neatly* contained behind your desktop, TV, stereo, gaming system...ya get my organized drift. 

Promising review: "This was used to bundle up some 120-volt wires running the family room floor behind some chairs. We have a kitten in the chewing stage and needed to protect both the wires and the kitten. The installation was easy. The finished product looks neat." — Lion Mac

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes).

14. A  sleek (but ventilated!) box to mask an unsightly power strip while also keeping kids and pets outta there.

Promising review: "This box does the trick. I'm able to place a few cords in here and the only thing I would change is to make it so the top stays on; maybe a groove it has to slide through so it can't fall off. It looks nice and it works well." — Gigi

Get it from Amazon for $17.99 . 

15. A charging station rack so the fam's electronics can be neatly filed away (the cords get tucked into the base!) while they gas up for the next binge of YouTube videos.

Promising review: "Wow, I wish I had purchased this long ago. We have five or six devices floating around/charging at any given time in our house. This is a great way to keep the charging area organized." — David

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in two finishes).

16. An electronics organizer with a place for just about every one of your and devices' cables. No more hunting through a pile or looking under the couch for the Kindle charger because you've gotta finish Britney's memoir. 

Promising review: "This is the perfect travel companion. It fits everything including an Apple TV, HDMI-to-VGA-converter, and various lightning and micro-USB cables. I haven't been disappointed at all. Plus, it packs nicely in a backpack and goes everywhere." — iamtheoneoff

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in four sizes and four colors).

Or if you're traveling solo (like I normally do), you can get away with sticking your electronics cords into a zippered pencil or makeup pouch that'll also slip easily into your personal item. 

17. Or some weatherproof, industrial-strength  storage strips that'll also make for easy transport when it's time to use said cords. Each strip's grommet makes it super easy to hang it up wherever you need it. 

Promising review: "I bought an assortment of these to hang up some extension cords and have leftovers for whatever comes up in the future. Really simple, just hang the grommet on a nail or peg or similar after wrapping up the cord, etc." — N. F. C.

Get a six-pack from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in 10 sizes).

18. Or an  extension cord winder  you can mount exactly where you need it and then reel in your go-to garage helper.

Promising review: "Product is fantastic! Easy to install and set up. Now my power cords are up off the floor out of the way and are easily accessible for use. I just pull out the amount of power cord I need and when done it is an easy task to reel the power cord back into the holder bag . Also no more bending over to pick up power cord for my bad back! Am I a happy customer, you betcha!" — JamesR

Get it from Amazon for $32.99 .

19. A  charging night stand so you can mellow out instead of being reminded of your overflowing inbox by visible wires.

FYI, the top sliding shelf can house your stuff.

Promising review: "It is a very nice nightstand that looks expensive, but is relatively cheap in cost, and serves the purpose of hiding your charging cables for all of your devices. Such a great purchase, in my mind." — rivzy

Get it from Amazon for $128.42 .

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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0800 073 8804

Get Free Advice On Compensation Claims 24/7

Tripping Over A Wire Injury Compensation Claim Specialists

100% No Win, No Fee Claims Nothing to pay if you lose.

• Free legal advice from a friendly solicitor.
• Specialist solicitors with up to 30 years experience
• Find out if you can claim compensation Call 0800 073 8804

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Can I Claim For Tripping Over A Wire?

To start your No Win No Fee compensation claim for tripping over a wire or other hazard, please call us, free, now on 0800 073 8804 , or contact us through our website. To find out more about trip or fall compensation, council compensation claims and accidents at work, please read on. There is also a form on our website that will let you start the process of finding out if you have a claim online . Our live chat window in the corner is also available to use.

Select A Section

A guide to claiming compensation for tripping over a wire, trailing wires injuries.

• Can I Claim For Tripping Over Wire At Work?

Can I Claim For Tripping Over A Wire In A Public Place?

What should you do if you tripped on loose wires, tripping over a wire personal injury claims calculator, no win no fee compensation claims for injuries from tripping over a wire, useful links.

If you have had a slip or trip resulting in an injury, you may be considering making a personal injury claim. If you tripped on loose wires at work, you will have an injury at work claim, probably against your employer, but potentially also against a contractor or third party – such as an external telecommunications supplier laying cables in your workplace. If you had a trip or fall in a public place, your claim will be against the landowner or council/local authority and, again, potentially also against a contractor or third party. For example, tripping over electrical cable from a temporary generator which has been laid across a pavement, going into a building, could result in claims against the council for personal injury, as well as against the generator supplier and the contractor doing the work in the building. The building owner and operator may also be liable for trailing wires compensation.

As with other personal injury claims, your claim will include an amount of compensation for the injury itself, as well as compensation for loss of earnings for time spent off work, any care needs you may have had (including care provided by a family member during your recovery period), medical expenses (such as prescription costs or private physio costs), and any other out-of-pocket expenses. You can also claim for future losses – for example, if you can no longer do the same job due to your injury, or if you have ongoing medical or care needs. A personal injury solicitor will go through every aspect of your claim with you, to ensure your accident at work claim or claim against the council for personal injury maximises your trip or fall compensation.

To learn more about slip, trip and fall claims , head here

How much compensation for tripping over a wire is available will depend on what the injury is – a trip could result in a fairly minor injury such as a sprain (which can still result in trip or fall compensation) or could cause a major injury with life-changing consequences, and the slip and fall compensation amounts will depend on both the severity of the injury and your losses arising from it. Therefore, your personal injury lawyer will use medical evidence (such as your GP records or a medical report) to determine what sort of injury you have sustained and what trailing wires compensation you may be entitled to.

Slips and falls can cause a wide range of injuries. Less severe injuries include wrist or ankle sprains, minor soft tissue injuries or straightforward cuts and abrasions. Some soft tissue injuries can be more serious, even if they don’t initially seem to be, such as tears or damage to ligaments or tendons. More obviously, serious injuries caused by trips and falls can include fractures of varying seriousness (legs, wrists and shoulders being particularly vulnerable), head injuries, internal bleeds or even spinal cord injuries.

Whatever your injury, if you have any concerns you should seek medical attention immediately. This will also help when it comes to providing evidence for your claim.

Can I Claim For Tripping Over A Wire At Work?

In the workplace, your employer has a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work ect. Act 1974 and related regulations (such as the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 , which particularly deals with traffic routes) to manage risk and to ensure that your place of work is free from hazards such as trailing cables. Employers also have a duty to complete risk assessments and manage any hazards appropriately. Trailing cables could be found under a desk, overhead or in designated walkways.

In order to make a claim, you will need to show that your employer (or anyone employed by them to do so) did not comply with the relevant health and safety legislation to appropriately manage or remove such risks – for example by using a cable tidy or by cordoning off an area where temporary work is taking place. Your employer may also be responsible if the trailing cables were left by an outside contractor or another third party, or you might have a claim against both the employer and the third party.

In a public place, the landowner or council has a similar duty to prevent accidents and minimise risks to members of the public, so there should be no trailing wires left where people can trip over them. A public place may be outside, such as in the street or a park, but can also include indoor spaces such as shops, shipping centres, sports facilities or museums. Council compensation claims are fairly common, as are claims against other landowners.

There are obviously lots of different potential hazards in public places. Again, trailing wires may be permanent or temporary – any electrical equipment is likely to have a wire, which will cause a hazard needing to be managed. This could be as simple as the use of a vacuum cleaner in a shop or a temporary generator anywhere in public. An open-air event, such as a festival, will have generator wires, tent ropes and all manner of potential trip hazards.

If you have tripped on loose wires at work or in public, try and obtain as much evidence as possible. This includes evidence as to the nature of the hazard – photos of the wires are particularly helpful, but witness statements are always useful. If you can get the details of any witnesses at the time, we can help them prepare a witness statement in due course, but any information written at the time can be very important.

You should also seek medical attention as soon as possible (especially – obviously – if it is a serious injury). Your GP and/or hospital records will form the basis of a medical report to support your claim. If you have a series of treatments, such as physiotherapy, those records will also be helpful.

Keep a record of all out-of-pocket expenses you incur – this could include prescription costs, medical appointments (such as private physio), receipts for purchase of aids (such as a walking stick) or larger costs such as care. Anything you spend as a result of the accident may form part of your claim for compensation, so keep all receipts possible and/or note down the cost at the time.

Injuries caused by tripping on loose wires can vary considerably, and how much compensation for a fall will be paid will depend on things like the severity and recovery time of your injury caused by your trip or fall. The table below sets out examples of general damages awarded for trip or fall compensation. The figures have been taken from the latest version of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).

These guidelines are used by legal professionals to come up with a suitable general damages payment to reflect the pain and suffering experienced due to your injuries.

The figures in the table only relate to general damages, and therefore the full compensation amount could be higher if special damages are also included.

Please speak to us for further advice. Most calls only take around 10 minutes, and our personal injury solicitor can give you an outline of what might be included in your claim for compensation.

If you’ve sustained an injury by tripping over trailing wires or leads, then you may be interested in making a claim for compensation. If so, one of our solicitors could help.

There are many benefits to working with a solicitor; for example, an experienced solicitor can help ensure that all areas of your claim are covered with the correct evidence. They can take statements from witnesses who saw you trip over the wire, and can advise you on further steps you can take to strengthen your case.

Our solicitors offer their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) , which is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement. When claiming with a solicitor under this arrangement, you aren’t required to pay any upfront fees or ongoing costs to your solicitor for them to work on your case. Furthermore, if your claim doesn’t succeed, then you won’t pay your solicitor for their services.

If your claim succeeds, then your solicitor will take a legally capped success fee from your compensation award.

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6 DIY Trip Wire Alarms for Off-Grid Security

By Steve Nubie 2 Comments

Estimated reading time: 28 minutes

A lot of folks have never put together a trip wire alarm, and there’s a good reason. There are just not a lot of occasions where a trip wire is necessary. However, when those occasions do emerge, it’s at least worth understanding the concept of what works and what doesn’t.

What Exactly is a Trip Wire?

But who needs them now, do it yourself versus buy it yourself, trip wire 101, electrical wire, monofilament fishing line, bungee cord, lasers, infrared, and motion detectors, rocks in cans, firecracker poppers, .22-caliber blanks, air horns, sirens, and other noise makers, what about light, this is not about the use of lethal force, location, location, location, 1. bungee marbles, 2. monofilament on the rocks, 3. paracord pull-string fireworks, 4. thin wire .22-caliber blank, 5. winter white trip wire, 6. back gate avalanche, is this a good idea.

A trip wire is a long length of thin wire, monofilament fishing line, or any other type of cordage that is usually connected to something that makes noise. The idea is that when an intruder either human or animal steps into the wire, the alarm is sprung, alerting you to an intrusion.

The trip wire concept was developed in wartime as a way to alert troops of an enemy incursion. This was particularly needed at night and was often used in the dense island jungles during the war in the Pacific in World War II.

The usual configuration was a thin length of rope suspended low to the ground between trees with empty C-ration cans filled with stones to rattle the alarm whenever the wire was “tripped.” And while booby traps were sometimes used to maim or kill, there was always the concern that an innocent civilian or friendly soldier wandering off to go relieve himself would trip the wire.

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The usual reason someone considers a trip wire is when they are in an area with the potential for any number of unknown threats. The idea is usually to make noise to signal an intruder .

• The threat could be from wild animals like bears or wolves approaching a camp in a remote area.
• In countries ravaged by civil wars and civil unrest, no night is safe and trip wires are sometimes used to at least alert the local population if a covert threat is approaching.
• Following a disaster , many people find themselves isolated and alone with the potential for looters or worse. That’s when a trip wire may at least scare them off, if not serve as a warning of an unwelcome approach.
• In times requiring a bug-out to a distant but safer location, there are occasions where a night must be spent on the road in unknown territory where the threat is equally mysterious. Trip wires would serve as a perimeter defense to at least alert anyone spending an unplanned night on the road of any approach.
• And yes, they’re still used in war zones, although the technology of trip wires in those areas is usually defined by lasers, electronic signals, or infrared beams connected to electronic alerts through cameras or video or in extreme cases: explosives.
• In fact, the concept of contemporary home security systems connected to motion-detector technology to turn on lights; sound an alarm, record video, or alert the local police are the 21 st century versions of the trip wire concept.

It may seem unnecessary to build your own trip wires when so many options appear on the Internet , but if a situation makes the Internet undependable or unavailable, or deliveries or the purchase of many things is difficult or impossible, that might be a good time to know how to improvise a trip wire.

There’s also the fact that in some instances, the electricity is out or unavailable, and most modern security solutions require at least some level of power. In a worst case scenario with a total grid failure, technology will quickly diminish and old-school, analog solutions will offer the most dependable options. Those are the types of trip wire concepts we’ll cover.

We might as well start with the wire. There are a variety of options . Usually, the wire or cord is low-profile and hard to see. It also needs to be relatively strong. If someone or something walks through the wire or cord and it easily breaks, little is accomplished except alerting the intruder to the fact that you’ve setup some trip wires.

Here are options to consider:

Electrical wire comes in a variety of gauges, but the smallest (and most inexpensive) gauges are referred to as 14 and 16 gauge. They’re more than strong enough to serve as a trip wire.

They’re all coated with a flexible plastic coating that comes in a range of colors. White, black, red, and green are the most common, and those colors present camouflaged, stealth characteristics, depending on the time of year, time of day, and natural surroundings. Floral wire is another option and also comes in a variety of colors.

Fishing line is thin, strong, and also hard to see. Buy one of the heavier weight tests of at least 50 pounds or more. Avoid any of the brightly colored lines. Go with a neutral, plain monofilament.

Paracord is another surprisingly strong option, but you have to think about the color of the cord. During winter, a white Paracord might makes sense if the ground is snow covered. A green or camo cord could work well in a forest or field. Black is an obvious choice for night.

You don’t see bungee cord mentioned in a lot of the write-ups about trip wires, but it has a characteristic that could make sense if you think about it. If the idea of your trip wire is to rattle a bell, cans, or other noise maker, a bungee cord will certainly make that happen.

In fact, a bungee cord may cause more noise to occur than any of the other options we’ve mentioned due to its flexibility and springiness. A black bungee makes sense. Green if you’re in the woods.

If your trip wire is designed to trigger a mechanism, bungee is not the best choice, but if you’re rattling cans the old-fashioned way, it’s a good option.

You can buy these things and improvise a trip wire yourself, but make sure they’re battery or solar powered or have a way to recharge the batteries . These are complicated solutions, so we’ll mention them but we’re not going to spend a lot of time covering ways to make technology work in a primitive environment.

Some websites offer tips and solutions to improvising trip wires with technology, but it’s a lot of work and you have to consider how and when you’ll need any trip wire, and for how long.

The idea of most trip wires is to make a lot of noise when someone trips over the wire. Noise makers vary depending on what you have available or may have bought in advance. We’re going to assume your situation caught you a bit by surprise and that you have to improvise from available materials.

It’s believable that a lot of us would have wire, cords, and fishing line lying, around but things that make noise require a bit of creativity or at least some pre-planning , especially if you require a very loud alarm.

How loud your alarm needs to be depends on your distance from the trip wire and whether you are inside or outside. Someone camping in a tent will be more likely to hear a rattle of rocks in a can than someone sleeping in their home or cabin.

If you are at a distance from your trip wire or indoors, you may need to plan and buy ahead to acquire louder alarms like blank cartridge firing mechanisms, firecracker poppers, air horns, or anything else that will be heard under most circumstances.

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And if you can, paint your alarms to match the environment. If you don’t have paint, you can rub some mud or clay on the bell/can/noisemaker so it is somewhat camouflaged. Black is good at night, camo combos for any natural forest or field, and snow white for winter.

If you’re trying to keep animals at bay, the colors are less of an issue. Animals only see in black and white, but keep an eye on the contrast. They can still notice highly contrasting shades.

A lot of us have bells around for various reasons including cowbells, Christmas bells, antique bells, and collectible bells. And then some of us don’t. If you have any assortment of bells, you’re off to a good start with a trip wire.

Even if you’re not a bell collector, there’s a good chance you have access to tin cans and rocks. No rocks? Anything that makes noise in a can will do from bolts to nuts or better yet, marbles— although marbles may jostle around in your can in the wind, so maybe stick with the pebbles.

You only want a few in the can but enough to make noise when the can is jostled. Smooth, rounded stones and marbles are best. Look for rounded stones in river and creek beds.

Drop a few in and give the can a shake. Adjust until you think you have the most and best noise for a shake. And if you don’t think a rattling can is going to work, then you’ll need to think about stocking some very loud alarms like the next few items.

There’s a type of firework that has two stings emerging from either end of a firecracker. When you pull the stings, the firecracker pops. They’re loud, and you can tie them onto a number of trip wires around your area.

Some of them are made out of paper and will get wet due to rain, snow, or morning dew, so wrap them in plastic cut from a black or neutral garbage bag. They’ll most likely scare off a wild animal and might scare off an intruder. Either way you’ll certainly hear it.

This isn’t about setting up a full loaded .22 caliber round on a trip wire. That’s a really bad idea. Trip wires are indiscriminate and when tripped, the wire fires. Most .22-caliber blanks are used for nail hammers to drive nails and pins into concrete.

The firing mechanism for trip wires and .22 blanks can be bought online , although the blanks are available at most hardware stores next to the nail guns . There are also 12-gauge blank variations on this concept.

As a trip wire, they’re mostly designed to deter wild animals, but the people who sell them offer all sorts of reasons to use them . You’ll certainly hear it, and it will scare most anyone and anything away.

However, it may cause a response you don’t necessarily want. If someone is approaching and they are armed, they may perceive the detonation of a .22-caliber blank round as actual gunfire and return fire. Up to you.

If it makes noise, it’ll work on a trip wire. The only challenge is figuring out how to trigger the noise. Things like sirens need power, but if you’re handy with a little wiring, you can make a trip-switch to set off the siren.

There are also solar powered options available . There’s some advice out there about setting up a rock over an a ir horn that will fall on the air horn button when tripped. That requires some precise setup and once that rock is on the air horn, it’s going to make a lot of noise until you lift the rock.

You’ll also probably use up all the air in the horn by the time you get out of bed or your sleeping bag to lift the rock.

There are solar powered motion detectors that will illuminate an area. These are best hung high in a tree out of sight and out of reach. It’s a variation on the trip wire concept, and it’s usually used to dissuade animals. It could also deter an intruder, but if you’re using something to trip an alarm that will notify you of an intrusion, a light in the night will do little good if you don’t see it while you’re sleeping or otherwise occupied.

Most trip wire concepts are designed to make noise to let you know that someone or something is approaching, and improvising a light to a trip wire can get a little complicated unless you have some good skills with wiring and trip switches. We’re going to skip the lights and stick with noise.

Booby traps have often been used in times of war and they are designed to kill. That’s a really bad idea. The whole idea is to either scare something or someone away with sound or to at least be alerted to the presence of something approaching.

Even a blank .22-caliber cartridge should be pointed towards the ground. Otherwise, the blast could send shrapnel from a tree trunk or branch in someone’s direction, and you don’t want it to be one of your children or an innocent wanderer lost in the night. This is about making noise, not war .

Where you place any trip wire is as important as the design of the trip wire itself. You want it far enough away to give yourself some time to observe the direction of the alarm and see what’s coming plus prepare to respond. But you also want it close enough so you can hear it.

Another location factor is the height of the trip wire from the ground. If you’re concerned about human intruders or large animals like a bear , you’ll want your trip wire about a foot above the ground. 6-inches above the ground is about the minimum or someone or something could step on the wire without tripping it.

Also, if it’s any lower than 6 inches, every random squirrel, raccoon, possum or most any other rodent could trip your wire repeatedly. If that happens enough, you may take to ignoring the trip wire noise while assuming it’s just another passing rabbit when it’s the intruder you were so worried about in the first place.

Support for attaching a trip wire is something else to think about. A lot depends on what’s available at the location and what kind of trip wire you’re using. Two tree trunks could work, but they will create a very taut trip wire that may not ring any bells for long. They could also cause an intruder to literally trip which may be an effective deterrent–or not.

The branches of two trees or two saplings give some flexibility to any trip wire and could result in a sway in the wire, causing the noise to persist a little longer.

Two stakes in the ground are another solution, but if you’re trying to raise your trip wire to a foot of height, you’ll need long and large stakes deeply imbedded in the ground.

The number of trip wires you set up is another location consideration. Think in terms of avenues of approach. Around a home or dwelling, any open area like a gap in a fence, a gate, an open back or front yard, approaches to doors or windows, or approaches to outbuildings are worth thinking about.

A lot depends on what you’re worried about, the location, and the immediate threat level.

A remote survival camp or any campsite for that matter might require a number of trip wire setups, but even then –animals prefer open paths and clear terrain. A human intruder may do otherwise and stick to the cover of scrub, brush, and trees, so you just have to do your best to estimate what could be coming and from where.

Check your trip wires if you have them in place for any length of time. Improvising an alarm with some rocks in a can is a good idea, at least until it rains or freezes and the water or frozen rocks in the can fail to rattle.

It’s also possible one of your trips has worked loose; been tripped without you knowing it, and loose on the ground, or something as simple as a knot that has worked loose. It’s actually somewhat of a “set it and forget it” approach, but it’s worth checking them from time to time if you need them for any duration.

Remove your trip wires when you don’t need them anymore or when you move on. They will cause you or anyone else to trip, including family members, as long as they’re in place. You also may need them again.

The DIY Trip wires

The advantage of a bungee cord as a trip wire is its springiness. Think of it as a rubber band on steroids. In fact, the interior of a bungee cord is just that. Long strands of rubber encased in a flexible fabric braid.

You can attach anything that makes noise to a bungee cord. The advantage is that a bungee will rattle and shake longer while making more noise.

• Bungee cord of sufficient length for your trip wire area. You can buy coiled bungee cord in various colors and cut them to length. If you only have packaged bungee cords of varying lengths with hooks, you can connect them together, although the hooks will be somewhat visible during the day.
• Various soup cans painted to match the terrain or time of day. They should also have holes punched towards the top of the can on either side.

• (You can substitute bells for the cans.)
• Choose a bungee cord color that you think will blend in the best with the surrounding areas.
• Wrap the one end of the bungee around a tree trunk, branch, sapling or stake. Tie it off with two half-hitches and pull tight.
• Thread your can or cans onto the bungee.
• Stretch it tight to another tree trunk, branch, sapling or stake and wrap and knot with two half hitches until tightened.

• Add marbles to the can and test it with a few pulls on the bungee. Add or remove marbles depending on the sound.
• Test your bungee trip wire again with someone in camp or in the house and ask them if they can hear the cans? If not, move the trip wire closer or add some more cans.

Monofilament is an excellent trip wire source. It’s hard to see during the day and totally invisible at night. The key is to have a strong enough weight test to activate the noise without breaking. It can be used in most any trip wire setup in any location.

• Monofilament fishing line.  50 pound test or higher is best, but any weight test will do if it’s all you have on hand. You could even double or triple up the monofilament if you’re worried it will break or snap.
• Empty tin cans. Soup cans are a good size. Peel off any colorful labels and either paint them or coat them in a thin film of mud so they are less reflective. Paint the cans black or do a camo pattern depending on the surrounding area.
• Smooth, round rocks, nuts, bolts, marbles —anything hard that can easily move around and rattle in the can.
• Cordage or wire to attach the cans to the monofilament.
• Wrap the one end of the monofilament around a tree trunk, branch, sapling or stake. Tie it off with an improved clinch knot (a fishing knot perfectly suited to monofilament) and pull tight.
• Punch 4 holes in each can.

The holes should be punched in pairs towards the top of the can about a ½ inch apart and opposite each other at the rim of the can. This is so the can is bound tight to the monofilament as it is threaded through the holes to ensure a good shake.

• Thread the monofilament through the holes.

• Add the can or cans along the monofilament, but try to place them in spots that are obscured by brush, tall grass, or other natural camouflage. It makes no difference at night, but take a look when it’s dark to be sure.
• Stretch it tight to another tree trunk, branch, sapling, or stake and wrap and knot with another improved clinch knot and pull light.
• Try to locate the cans in a location that is hard to see during the day.
• Drop a few rocks in the can and shake the fishing line wire to see if the cans rattle. Add more or less rocks until the cans make a racket. Continue to add cans where you can. Tighten the cans to the monofilament if you need to.
• Test your monofilament trip wire and have someone in camp listen and ask them if they can hear the cans. If not, move the trip wire closer or add more cans.
• Thin paracord . A type I or type II is thin enough to be obscure but strong enough to function as a trip wire. Choose the color that best matches the terrain and time of day.
• Pull-string fireworks. They’re legal to buy in most states and can also be purchased online. You’ll need to have them on hand because they’re very difficult to improvise.
• Choose a paracord color that will blend in with the surrounding area.
• Wrap the one end of the paracord around a tree trunk, branch, sapling, or stake.
• Find a location that is hard to see along the paracord and tie one end of the pull-string firecracker to the cord.
• Tie the other end of the paracord to another tree trunk, branch, sapling, or stake and wrap and knot with two half hitches until tightened.
• Carefully tie the paracord to the other end of the pull-string using a square knot or any knot you can improvise. You have to do this delicately. You want the paracord tight, but you don’t want to accidentally detonate the firecracker. If you want to get the best tight line, you could tie the final end of the paracord to the tree or stake with a trucker’s hitch . This will give you a little more control over the slack, but be gentle.
• You don’t want to test your popper trip wire or you’ll have to retie another one. If you want to test the distance and whether or not you’ll hear it, have someone in camp or in the house listen while you pull a spare popper. If they don’t hear it, move the trip wire closer. Don’t be tempted to add multiple poppers to the same trip wire. What will most likely happen is that one popper will trip, leaving any others unexploded.
• Unlike bells and tin cans, you have to rearm your firecracker trip wire whenever it goes off. That’s not a bad idea to at least see if there are any footprints or paw prints to tell you if your intruder was human or a stray dog.

• Floral wire . Black is the default color, but if you have a green or white color that can match the terrain or time of year (snow), that’s a good idea.
• A .22-gauge firing capsule. You can buy these online. They’re hard to find in stores.
• Blank .22-gauge loads. Buy these online where you bought your firing capsule or at a hardware store in the nail bun aisle.
• Wrap the one end of the wire around a tree trunk, branch, sapling or stake. Choose a color that matches best with the surroundings.
• Attach an unloaded .22-gauge capsule in an obscure spot.
• Attach the other end of the wire to the .22-gauge firing capsule.
• Stretch it to another tree trunk, branch, sapling or stake and pull until you have tension on the .22-gauge firing mechanism.
• Test the unloaded .22-gauge capsule by pushing on the trip wire to see if the pin fires. If not, adjust the tension. If the pin fires, rearm the firing mechanism and carefully add a blank .22-gauge cartridge.
• If appropriate to the situation, do a test. It will be loud and attract a lot of attention. If the firing pin is firing when unloaded, you should be good to go if a test causes local problems or concerns. Anything that sounds like a gun shot in the neighborhood may attract some unwanted attention.

This setup uses a white length of electrical wire attached with overlapping loops through two holes in the top of a can painted white. Obviously, it’s a winter trip wire and it uses marbles or pebbles to create the alarm. The overlap of the wires causes the can to shake and rattle more than a conventional wire or line passing through the holes.

• White electrical wire
• A can or cans painted white
• Marbles or pebbles

Directions:

• Attach one end of the wire to a tree branch.
• Run the wire through the can in a discreet location, but overlap the wires so the can shakes when the wire is tripped.

• Attach the other end of the wire to a branch and test.

If trouble is close to home and you need to come up with a trip wire fast, this is one option. This is a trip wire connected to a gate, causing an avalanche of large rocks to fall onto a large piece of sheet metal or even a metal garbage can. It makes a lot of noise and can also be staged so the rocks fall onto the metal when the gate is pushed rather than pulled open.

You can improvise this kind of setup anywhere someone may enter uninvited, from a barn door to a back door to a door on a wood shed. This is not a stealthy trip wire. It assumes that a gate or other barrier is obstructing any view of the setup.

• Bucket to hold the ro cks.
• About two dozen large rocks from 1 to 2-inches in diameter.
• A large metal surface or object that will make a lot of noise when rocks land on it. Sheet metal, metal garbage cans, metal ductwork, any type of metal that’s relatively thin and will create noise.
• A wood platform 12” square to support the bucket
• Three wooden dowels about 3 feet long. (You can use old broom handles or even 1×2’s can work).
• Cordage . Any type and any color. The trip wire will also be obscured by the gate or barrier.
• Fill your bucket with your rocks and dump them on your metal sheet, can or whatever else your using to assess the noise. Ask someone inside your home or camp to determine if they can hear it.
• If you’re satisfied with the noise level, fill the bucket with your rocks.
• Pound the 3 support sticks into the ground in a triangle that will support the 12” square platform.
• Set the 12” platform on top of the support sticks. You don’t want to drive the support sticks too deep into the ground. You want this to be a precarious balancing act.
• You have two options. If your gate pulls open towards you, attach your trip wire to the gate and to the front support stick or your three sticks setup far enough away to allow the rocks to fall on the metal. Place the metal in the best location for the rocks to fall. You might want to put some rocks under the metal to lift it off the ground to increase the noise and hold it in place to some degree. When the gate is opened, the trip wire will pull out the support and the bucket will fall forward onto the metal.
• If your gate opens away from you, set up the support sticks and the platform right next to the gate. When someone pushes the gate open, it will topple the bucket with the rocks onto your metal plate or can.
• Test either option to see where the rocks fall and place your metal sheet or container in that location.
• Test again and ask someone inside the house to assess the noise level.
• If satisfied, set the trip or add more rocks or adjust the metal location or type of metal. It’s an easy set up and will create enough noise to cause most intruders to jump out of their boots.

Are There Other Approaches?

No doubt . Trip wires have been around a long time, and what you choose to improvise is only limited by your imagination and materials on hand . What we tried to do here was explore the concept so anyone could take the basic idea and adapt it to their needs, available supplies , and their location. It’s all a question of finding stuff that will make a lot of noise when someone trips over your wire.

In an emergency, it’s good to know how to do this stuff. In an ideal scenario, you would have sophisticated electronic devices that are solar powered and connected to motion detectors and all manner of alerts and alarms. Complicating things further is that any device with any level of electronics will also need to be weatherproof.

But this isn’t about an ideal scenario with a house surrounded by lasers . It’s about a sudden and surprising time when things rapidly become dangerous or threatening. Anyone in that situation would have plenty to think about and the ability to quickly improvise something as basic as perimeter alarms with trip wires not only makes sense but simply seems like a good idea. Just don’t throw way any old bells.

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What Causes Circuit Breakers To Trip?

• April 2, 2024

If your circuit breakers keep tripping, there’s no need to stress. This is a typical situation. Below, you’ll find details on the reasons behind this and tips for avoiding it going forward. Get a handle on your circuit breaker issues!

Table of Contents

Understanding Circuit Breaker Tripping

Circuit breakers are protection devices for electrical circuits. When too much current passes, the breaker trips, stopping the flow of electricity and preventing damage. This can be caused by faulty wiring, too many appliances on one circuit, or a ground fault.

Overloading can cause tripping. This happens when too many devices are connected to a single circuit. Heat builds up in the wires, which can start fires or cause damage. To prevent this, distribute loads across multiple circuits and don’t connect too many appliances to one outlet.

Short circuits also lead to tripping. This happens when two wires with opposite charges come in contact or when a wire touches something grounded. This causes an immediate surge in current that triggers the breaker. Check for exposed wires or insulation damage, and call an electrician if you spot any signs of trouble.

Ground faults can also cause tripping. This happens when there’s an unintentional connection between a live wire and a conductive surface. Install GFCIs to avoid this.

In short, know what causes circuit breakers to trip. Identify potential hazards like overloading, short circuits, and ground faults. Take steps to prevent accidents and ensure your electrical equipment is safe. If you’re unsure how to handle electrical problems, call a licensed electrician.

Overloading Causes

Circuit breakers trip to stop overheating, electrical fires, and damage to electrical parts. Plugging in too many devices can cause the circuit to become overloaded, so the breaker trips to cut off the power.

Short circuits are like a blind date gone wrong. They can be explosive, and often end in disaster. This happens when a hot wire comes into contact with a neutral or insulation/water. This throws off the electric balance, causing danger and tripping.

Short Circuit Causes

A short circuit happens when a low-resistance path appears between two points in the circuit that aren’t usually connected. This can cause too much current to flow, making a circuit breaker trip. Insulation or wiring damage, faulty appliances, and circuit overload are the most common reasons for a short circuit. It’s critical to identify and fix the root cause quickly to avoid electrical fires and other dangers .

When too much power passes through a circuit, the circuit breaker will automatically turn off. It’s designed to protect wiring and guard against electrical accidents . But if the breaker trips regularly, there may be underlying issues that need investigation and repair. Often times, this means upgrading or replacing components.

Sometimes short circuits are caused by human error or wear and tear. But they may also come from design or installation problems. Planning and upkeep from local electricians can keep electrical systems running safely and appropriately for a long time. If your circuit breaker is tripping a lot, get an experienced technician to review your system and suggest solutions that match your needs and budget .

Overheating Causes

Circuit breakers are essential safety features. They stop electrical fires and protect your appliances. When overloaded, too much current flows, producing heat. This causes the breaker to trip!

Other factors can cause overheating. Damaged insulation on wires increases resistance. Loose connections add resistance and heat. High temperatures and poor ventilation worsen the situation.

It’s important to maintain and service the electrical system. Checks of all components will make sure they work efficiently. To avoid tripping, prevent overheating. This will reduce energy consumption and safeguard equipment. So, let’s learn about circuit breakers and how they deal with overloads!

Circuit Breaker Types

Circuit breakers are essential for any electrical system. They prevent overloaded and faulted circuits . There are different types of circuit breakers suitable for specific electrical loads.

See the table below for the different types of circuit breakers and their functions:

It is crucial to select the right type of breaker. Each one has its own advantages in specific situations. For instance, thermal circuit breakers are perfect for small appliances like hair dryers or irons . Meanwhile, magnetic circuit breakers are great for bigger loads such as air conditioners or refrigerators .

Remember, circuit breakers are like Beyoncé – they can handle a lot, but have their limits.

Circuit Breaker Ratings and Specifications

Circuit breakers are designed to protect electrical circuits from overloads. To ensure that circuits and appliances are safe, the ratings and specifications of circuit breakers need to be understood.

If a circuit breaker trips often, it may mean there’s an issue. It’s best to get professional help in these cases. Time to go on a hunt for your electrical wiring!

Troubleshooting Circuit Breaker Tripping

Circuit breakers can flip out for multiple reasons, like overloads , short circuits , and ground faults .

Overloads happen when too much electricity passes through the circuit, creating too much heat and tripping the breaker. Short circuits are when two or more wires touch, resulting in extra current. Ground faults occur when the power takes an unexpected route, like through a person’s body.

To figure out why your circuit breaker is tripping, it’s important to figure out what is going on and act accordingly. Inspections and maintenance can also help avoid future tripping.

Stop your circuit breaker from misbehaving with these prevention tips!

Preventing Circuit Breaker Tripping

A circuit breaker tripping can be prevented with understanding. When circuits are overloaded, breakers trip to avoid overheating and potential fires. Here are 3 steps that can help you prevent circuit breakers tripping:

• Know the electrical load – work out how many appliances & devices are connected to one circuit. Don’t overload them by spreading high-energy equipment across multiple circuits .
• Look after your appliances – ensure all your appliances & devices are in good condition, with no damaged cords or frayed wires.
• Upgrade your system – if you’re tripping breakers often you may need to upgrade the electrical system with higher capacity breakers or more circuits.

Plus, investing in surge protectors can also assist in preventing circuit overload and subsequent tripping of breakers. By following these steps you can make sure your home’s electricity runs safely and without interruption due to circuit breakers tripping.

Remember: these precautions will keep you from tripping more than just your circuit breakers!

Safety Precautions

Safety must be taken seriously when dealing with circuit breakers . Always switch off the main power supply before beginning work. Wear protective gear such as insulated gloves and boots to stay safe from electrocution. Never touch wires or components inside the box without proper training. Keep the area around the breaker box free from any flammable substances. Inspect breakers for damage or wear regularly .

Label each circuit breaker correctly . Test them frequently for functionality. This will help identify circuits quickly in case of an emergency. These precautions and practices ensure safety while dealing with circuit breakers. When in doubt, blame it on the circuit breaker – it’s always a good scapegoat for electrical woes!

Circuit breakers are essential components of any electrical system. They stop too much current flowing and thus, protect against potential fires . The most common cause for tripping is overload. But, other causes like short circuits and ground faults can also cause the breaker to trip. When it trips, there is something wrong that needs to be fixed right away.

Short circuits occur when two wires touch each other. This creates a low resistance path which allows a lot of current to flow with no load. Ground faults occur when the hot wire touches something incorrectly wired or with a damaged cord.

To prevent tripping, regular maintenance of the electrical system is needed. Keeping appliances in good condition, replacing worn-out cords and fixtures, and periodically checking for loose wires all help reduce the chances of tripping. In summary, understanding why the breaker trips and taking precautionary measures will keep you safe and save you repair costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what causes a circuit breaker to trip.

There are several possible causes, including overheating due to circuit overload, short circuits, ground faults, and age-related wear and tear.

2. How can I prevent my circuit breaker from tripping?

You can avoid overloading your circuit by keeping the number of electrical appliances used on one circuit to a minimum, regularly checking wires for signs of wear and tear, and not using too many extension cords.

3. What should I do if my circuit breaker keeps tripping?

If your circuit breaker is constantly tripping, it is important to identify and fix the underlying issue. Contact an electrician to inspect and repair any faulty wiring or electrical devices.

4. Can a circuit breaker trip without an overload?

Yes, a circuit breaker can trip due to a short circuit or a ground fault, which may occur without an overload.

5. How do I reset a tripped circuit breaker?

To reset a tripped circuit breaker, turn it off and then back on again. Make sure to identify and correct the underlying issue that caused the trip before restoring power.

6. What is the lifespan of a circuit breaker?

The lifespan of a circuit breaker can vary depending on usage and other factors. However, most circuit breakers last between 10 and 30 years.

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QuikTrip shares advice for every team in NFL -- except Chiefs

T he Kansas City Chiefs have well-known fans all over the country, but the defending Super Bowl champions were in particularly elite company on Thursday afternoon ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

Oklahoma-based convenience store chain QuikTrip (not to be confused with La Crosse, Wisconsin's Kwik Trip) took to Twitter to share advice for every team in the league, except for the Chiefs.

"Draft the next Patrick Mahomes," the Rooster Booster purveyor wrote, adding a tag to every team in the NFL in order of selections of the forthcoming draft.

To the Chiefs, QuikTrip's message was much more lighthearted: "Kick back and relax. Life is good."

https://twitter.com/QuikTrip/status/1783540917195952401

Clearly, the taquito-slinging convenience store's allegiance lies with Kansas City as teams across the NFL set out to find their next Hall of Famer in the first round of the draft on Thursday night.

https://twitter.com/QuikTrip/status/1783541658346225952

Stay tuned to see how QuikTrip reacts to the Chiefs' selection when Kansas City is on the clock with the No. 32 pick.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: QuikTrip shares advice for every team in NFL -- except Chiefs