Toddlers are insatiably curious. Any parent will tell you that their young ones will attempt to touch, explore and deconstruct whatever they can reach or get their hands on. Sadly, 20% of injuries reported each year which involve electrical currents involve children, most likely because many outlets and wires are close to the ground and easily within reach of little hands. Therefore it is essential that parents be vigilant in making sure that their children are protected from electrical danger. Here are some practical childproofing tips for your home.
Fact: According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately 2,400 children are subject to severe shock and burns annually as a direct result of poking something into an electrical outlet.
Childproofing Tips
Check Your Outlets: Because they are so accessible to children, outlets are the number one electrical threat to them. Most people think that they can just place plastic outlet covers throughout their home and they are safe- however, this is one of the biggest mistakes parents make. While these common outlet covers will provide some protection, there are some issues.
The intention of the little plastic outlet plugs is to block the outlet from little exploratory fingers. First, we should say that any effort to slow a child down is better than nothing. However, these covers can be easily removed by a child intent on doing so – their fingers can slide right behind them and pop them out fairly quickly. A similar solution (presenting a similar problem) involves slide covers. These act in the same way as plug covers, utilizing a mechanical slide instead of plastic plug. However, a curious child can slide the cover, exposing the outlet. And if there is one thing we can say about toddlers and small children – it is that they are ever-curious.
So what is a better solution? According once again to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), all homes built after 2014 must be equipped with code compliant tamper-proof outlet upgrades. The upgraded outlets feature spring-loaded slide shutters to completely block access to the outlet.
When you plug a device such as a lamp into the outlet, the two prongs of the outlet touch the two points of contact on the spring lock. This permits the device or appliance to be plugged in, but without those two points of contact, the outlet is not accessible. A child with a key or fork will not be able to stick either in the outlet. If your Sarasota area home was built prior to 2014, you can call a local Sarasota electrician to come and retrofit your home with this important safety feature.
Childproof Your Power Strips: Power strips typically sit right on the floor, providing access to potentially dangerous plugs and outlets. There are two basic solutions to this issue. Some feature a dome or box which covers the strip, while others provide a cover as an additional piece. Still, with a child in the home, you may wish to reduce your dependence on power strips. This can be done by adding more safe outlets to your home. A professional electrical services company can come out to your home and install more outlets that are up to the most recent code. The entire reason for power strips, after all, is that you need more outlets.
There two childproofing steps will help to keep your little ones safe from the dangers of electrical current. Call Promise Electric today for an inspection and recommendations regarding how to protect your home and family.
