The good news is that your child is at very little risk from electrical shocks. The risk can be further minimized by applying some of following tips to preventing your child from electrical shock and the possibility of electrical fire.
With protecting children from electrical appliances there are actions you can take that will be relevant regardless of your child’s age. Whether your child is a baby, toddler, or seven-year-old, the tips below can help you to prevent shock and electrical fires.
1. Unplug any electrical devices that get hot such as hair straighteners, hair curlers, irons, ect. as soon as you’ve finished using them. This will eliminate the electrical connection and minimize the risk of fire.
2. Safety-check your appliances to see if they’re up to the job by testing them out. Look for any areas of the wire for abnormal heating or loose connections. If there are any problems then you will have the chance to discover see frayed wires or scorched sockets.
3. One plug per socket. Power extensions will permit you to run more appliances at once but they can overload the circuit and can cause fires. Also, having multiple plugs will increase the exposure of potential shock. Keep an eye out for overloaded plug sockets, especially with appliances that use a lot of power like curling irons and other heat generating devices.
4. Power Surge Protectors ‘Bar’ vs ‘block’. If you’re looking to purchase electrical socket extension or surge protector, some are safer than others. The ‘bar’ type, where the electrical plugs sit in a line, puts less strain on the socket than a ‘block’ type. ‘Block’ types, where the outlets are all attached in a clump, are more likely to increase the strain of the socket and cause fires and/or shock.
5. Turn appliances off when you are finished using them. Did you know that some mobile phone chargers, if left plugged in, can overheat and cause a fire? Unless it’s designed to remain on overnight (like a freezer) turn it off and unplug it at the mains.
6. Don’t remove the 3rd prong or ground pin of a plug. This can prevent proper grounding and could create a short circuit.
7. Don’t plug anything into an electrical outlet if there is water on the floor near it. Water and electrical outlets don’t mix and can be deadly.
8. Prevent your child from being able to touch outlets or switches with missing or broken cover plates.
9. Don’t use or leave hair dryers, radios, or any other electrical appliances in the tub or shower where children could get to them. Some appliances, like hair dryers should always be unplugged when you are finished with them.
10. Use plastic dummy plugs on every unused socket so that your child does not poke things into the holes of the outlet.