Childproof Your Home – Electrical Hazards

Childproof Your Home – Electrical Hazards: Every room in your house has electrical sockets, switches and other fixtures and fittings with electricity. As an adult you don’t even consider picking up a wire and chewing it! But as I’m sure you’re aware when children start moving around freely they don’t hesitate to pick up things and chew them.

This can be very dangerous so its sensible to take some precautions to prevent this from happening. Below I have listed some recommendations on how to childproof your home.

Find The Potential Electrical Hazards

I recommend going round every room in your house and making a list of all the potential danger areas. This includes noting the electrical sockets, extension cables, lamps and anything else that might present a danger to a child. Its often best to get down on your knees and have a good look around form child height as this gives you a good idea about where they can get to.

Childproofing Outlets / Plug Sockets

The best solution to protect your children for electrical outlets to to purchase outlet covers. These are usually white plastic and the slot into your unused electrical outlets. These covers prevent children from putting fingers and other objects into plug sockets.

Extension Cords and Other Cables

I recommend buying cable protectors, in this way you can group all of the cables together within a hard plastic cover. This stop prying hands reaching them and it also tidies up the “spaghetti” cables which look neater.

Turn off Appliances at the Plug

This is sensible advice because if your child does decide to play with an appliance there is little harm that can befall them if it is turned off at the wall. It also means that you will save electricity!