Sharing 5 ways to keep children safe from electrical injury in the home because prevention is the best way to avoid injury. We all want our homes to be an electrical safe-zone for kids throughout their childhood. Because electrical safety has different milestones: moving babies, curious toddlers, little kids who think they are big enough, and teens who charge all the things. Here are 5 ways to keep children safe from electrical injury in the home which might make your life a little easier…
5 ways to keep children safe from electrical injury in the home
The majority of Ontarians say they have been shocked. And although people may brush off a little zap from a toaster or a buzz from an outlet, research shows that even low-voltage shocks can have serious long-term after effects. The reality is that all shocks are preventable.
- Small kids often want to explore new things by putting them in their mouths. Keep cords away from little hands and mouths.
- Install tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles to protect younger children from shocks. They have shutters that cover the plug slots and help prevent little fingers or objects from going into the outlet. I still have “baby plugs” on my unused outlets…because you never know when a friend with a baby might drop by.
- For children under 15 years old, the majority of electrical injuries happen at home. Prevent small fingers and hands from getting shocked or burned by replacing frayed cords, replacing missing or broken outlet covers and keeping little hands from plugging and unplugging things until they are old enough to understand the dangers.
- Teach older children how to plug in and unplug safely. When it’s time to unplug, don’t yank cords from the wall. This can damage the appliance, the cord and the outlet.
- Water and electricity can be a lethal mix. Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)—the ones with the reset button—in any room with water (ie. bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms) to help protect from a shock.
For more information visit: www.esasafe.com/nosafeshock
Note: the following giveaway is open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec.
Share how you keep your kids safe for a chance to win a $50 home improvement store gift card! You can use the gift card for replacing cords and buying outlet covers, as explained in this post, to ensure your home is electrically safe.
Enter via the form below.
Disclosure: This post is in partnership with the Electrical Safety Authority.