Electrical Safety

Protect curious children – babyproof your home for electrical safety.

Electrical safety is the one is one of the most important ways to protect your child. Babyproofing electrical outlets and installing childproof outlet covers are key preventative measures that can keep your curious baby out of harm’s way.

Even though it may seem like something that can’t occur in your home, or to your family, keep in mind that the human body is made up of about 60% water, which means our bodies are good conductors of electricity. The Electrical Safety Foundation International reports that almost 7 children are brought to the emergency room daily for electrical shock or burn injuries that were due to the child tampering with a wall outlet. Additionally, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 70% of child-related electrical accidents occur at home when a parent or other caregiver is present.

Take steps today to ensure the safety of your family by babyproofing electrical outlets and cords in your home.

Electrical Safety Childproofing Tips for Kids

Teach children about electrical safety so that they avoid danger, and babyproof everything electrical in your home. General childproofing tips:

• Always survey any area where you may leave your children Crawl around any floors to see your home from your baby’s point of view to locate electrical hazards.
• Keep small appliances, hair dryers, electrical rollers etc. stowed away and far away from water sources. Keep gaming equipment away too!
• Teach children to keep fingers and objects (especially metal objects) away from outlets to avoid electrocution.
• Teach children to never pull a plug from an electrical outlet by its cord.
• Outdoors, make sure children stay away from power lines, exposed electrical or any areas marked ‘high voltage.’
• Replace any damaged switches in your home.
• Always used experienced technicians to repair any electrical in your home.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that each year, there are approximately 4,000 injuries associated with electric extension cords that require an emergency room visit. These injuries often involve fractures, lacerations, contusions, or sprains caused by people tripping over extension cords.

To prevent injuries associated with power cords you should:

• Keep unprotected cords out of sight and out of the way of foot traffic to avoid tripping.
• Never run an electric cord under a rug, which may cause the cord to overheat and create a tripping hazard.
• Install a power cord shortener for particularly long cords.
• Inspect cords for damage before using and check for damaged sockets or loose wires. If a cord is hot to the touch, don't use it.
• Keep electrical cords and cables organized and tied up as much as possible.

If the human body comes into direct contact with a source of electricity, the current passes through it, causing an electric shock. Depending on the voltage the shock can cause serious injury or even death. Younger children most commonly suffer this type of injury when they bite into electrical cords or poke metal objects such as forks or knives into unprotected outlets or appliances.

To help prevent electrocution from occurring in your home, you should:

• Cover all outlets and install tamper-resistant outlets or electrical outlet covers, outlet caps, or clear plug protectors.
• Install power strip covers for any power strips you have in your home even if you think they are out of the child’s reach (for example, behind an entertainment center).
• Make sure all wires are properly insulated.
• Tuck all wires away from your child's reach.
• Provide adult supervision whenever children are in an area with potential electrical hazards.
• Make sure outlets near water sources are GFCIs

It is also important to educate older children on the dangers of playing with electrical wires and outlets, especially when they are at the age when they can remove outlet covers or plugs. Be careful not to overload or overcrowd outlets which can lead to an electrical surge. Removing appliances near hazardous areas like sinks or bathtubs is also important if a child is old enough to plug-in appliances like a toaster or blow dryer.

Additionally, if you notice an outlet is not working properly, you should contact an electrician to address the issue. It’s not worth the electrical safety risk to take chances.

In the event your child should get shocked from an electrical outlet you should do the following outlet childproofing tips:

• Disconnect the power supply before you touch your child who is still receiving current - this means either pulling the plug or turning off the main switch.
• Never touch a live wire with your hands. If you need to lift a live wire, use a wooden stick, thick clothing, or another non-metal object.
• Move the child as little as possible since the shock can cause spinal fractures.
• If you are unable to remove the source of the current, move the child. Cover your hands with rubber or another nonconductive item so that the current doesn't pass from the child's body to yours.
• Once the current is off, begin CPR if needed and immediately call 911.

Shop Child Safe Electrical Products At Child Safety Store Now!

Take preventative measures to ensure your home is safe from the dangers of electric currents.  Contact Child Safety Store today at (561) 272-8242 or contact us online today to purchase electrical outlet covers, power strip covers, outlet caps, or plug protectors. Our safety experts can help you find the best electrical safety baby products.

FAQs

What are the ways I can protect my child from electricity accidents?
You have a few options for electrical child safety concerns. Shop our line of covers, inserts, and protectors to ensure your children are safe from harmful dangers.

Which brands are the best for electrical child safety products?
We suggest you shop our line of KidCo, Safety 1st, Cardinal Gates, and Child Be Safe.

Are your electrical outlet covers safe from children?
Children lack the dexterity to be able to push all 3 buttons at the same time of our Child Be Safe Modern Rectangular Style Electrical Switch/Outlet Cover. You can rest assured that your children are safe from electrical dangers.

Are your children's safety products made in the USA?
Yes! We provide a wide variety of children safety products that are manufactured and made in the USA.

Is the power strip easy to install in my home?
The Safety 1st Power Strip Cover is simple to install. Simply plug into any available electrical outlet and begin organizing your plugs.

Will my electrical outlet cover last a long period of time?
The outlet covers we sell are simple to install and made with quality material in the USA. You can be confident that your outlet cover will be durable and last a long time in your home.

Are the electrical outlet covers smart to have with children under 3 years old?
We advise parents to have electrical outlet covers for all parents with toddlers and young children.

Will the electrical outlet covers stay closed so my child can’t touch the outlet and plug?
The latches will keep the cover closed and deter access to the switch from your children and toddlers.

What are the benefits of buying the Safety 1st Outlet Cover with Cord Shortener for my child’s safety?
With our line outlet covers and cord shorteners, you don’t have to worry about your child pulling the plug out of the wall and causing harmful accidents like TV collapsing and broken appliances.

Do I need to worry about the plug sockets coming out of the outlet wall?
There's no way that these are coming out of the wall without the dexterity of an adult.