CHILDREN, SAFETY AND ELECTRICITY

Young children are curious and will play with anything. Ideally, they should never be left alone in a room where electric appliances or fittings are in use. It takes only a moment for a child to poke something into a heater, pull on a cord, topple an appliance, or poke something into an electrical outlet.

Arrange your furniture so that children have room to play away from heaters and other appliances. Ensure that heavy appliances - like TV sets - stand on furniture intended to take their weight. Position them so that they are stable and not likely to fall on any child who may bump into it or climb onto it to reach something on a nearby shelf. Fatal accidents have happened!

Always choose shuttered sockets and recessed outlets when new electrical work is being done, especially for sockets accessible to toddlers and young children.

For sockets accessible to toddlers and young children, use plastic safety plugs in all unused power points that don't have safety shutters. Ensure safety plugs are a firm fit and impossible for little fingers to remove.

Multi-boxes or power boards should be kept out of reach, preferably on a wall bracket. If this cannot be done, use a multi-box cover. If possible buy multi-boxes with shuttered outlets and an installed RCD.

When you finish using appliances like hair dryers, put them away so that children don't play with them.
Use a short cord on your electric jugs and kettles to prevent children from pulling them down onto themselves and getting badly burned or scalded.

Keep metal objects like keys, scissors or nail files out of reach so they can't be poked into socket-outlets, heaters or other electrical outlets.

Teach your children about the dangers of electricity and demonstrate safe behaviour.

What is Electricity?  |  Children, Safety & Electricity  |  Electrical Safety Checklist  |  Electrical Emergencies  |  Electric Blankets  |  Be Aware, Electricity Kills   |  No Power or  Hot Water?  |  Looking Up Looking Down, Looking After You  |  Underground Cables  |  Trees and Your Power Supply  |  Safety Disconnections and Reconnections  |  Staying Safe Near Unison Equipment |  Information for Schools  |  How Many Reminders do you Need?