The best part about the breadth of NEMA standards is that the plugs generally match the power needed, so for light-duty appliances, which includes most househol

The best part about the breadth of NEMA standards is that the plugs generally match the power needed, so for light-duty appliances, which includes most household appliances that aren't permanently installed, if you were to accidentally touch a frayed cord, you'd be fine, because there's only 120 V on a 15 A breaker. In some countries, it's common for every outlet in a house to have 240 V on a 32 A breaker, forcing four times as much power into any given resistive load, and giving an accidental touch of a frayed cord a much more dangerous outcome.