Baby proofing plug sockets...

Hi all,

After recently being educated by a vid posted on here about how socket covers open the neutral / live shutters making the plug more dangerous, I've been going round the house checking all my plugs have shutters and removing any of the covers we had in place.

I have a few multiplug extensions around the house, and notice that some of these dont have any shutters in the live and neutral - does this mean that the contacts are always exposed?

Are there any products out there that can make sockets safer without opening the shutters?

Cheers!

If those multiplugs do not have shutters then they do not comply with the relavent BS Standards and are potentially dangerous.

Throw them out and get ones that do have shutters.

As an extra safety feature check that all of your socket circuits are protected by 30mA RCD.


PS. Its a socket or a plug.
There is no such thing as a plug socket.
The plug is the thing on the end of the wire that has sticky out pins.
The socket is the thing on the wall that has the holes

Teach the child to do as it is told - you, and the rest of us, will reap the benefits in the future.

And make sure there is an RCD as advised above.

IJWS15 said:

Teach the child to do as it is told

Click to expand...

The topic title is "Baby proofing plug sockets". Do you really expect a neonate to understand verbal instructions?

lock them in a cupboard?

TTC has told you everything you need to know there, I'm sure he'd appreciate it if you clicked the thanks button for the info. If your shutterless extension lead does have a british standard number stamped on it, then it is damaged and wants throwing away anyway.

Glad you watched the video, please tell your friends about it too.

RossR said:

The topic title is "Baby proofing plug sockets". Do you really expect a neonate to understand verbal instructions?

Click to expand...

Verbal instructions do not work with children, of any age...

Normal reaction:

"Danger? I laugh in the face of danger"

RossR said:

IJWS15 said:

Teach the child to do as it is told

Click to expand...

The topic title is "Baby proofing plug sockets". Do you really expect a neonate to understand verbal instructions?

Click to expand...

A neonate won't put its finger into a socket (baby of up to 4 weeks - I had to look it up), before they are mobile they do understand simple instructions - at least ours did, I have some experience of children.

..

For fun I have been taking an AS level in Physics. All the children in the class are 16+ yet the simple instruction "Do not connect the multimeter directly across power supply when on the Amps range" seemed to be beyond their understanding with 8 out of 10 students blowing the 2 A fuse in the meter.

In general all electric items should have a British or Europe standard and unless they comply they should not be used. The silly socket protectors don't have a British or Europe standard so should not be used.

There are some old British sockets without shutters but all made today incorporate a shutter or other device. Some shaver sockets have a switch so the power is removed until both prongs of plug are inserted.

However some extension leads and adaptors do it seems not comply with British regulations even though they have a BS number. Phone chargers from both Iphone and Nokia don't have the required area covered by the plug which is not a problem as long as the socket complies. Some extension leads will allow one to inset a plug the wrong way around so the earth pin will open shutters without the live pins covering the holes.

However the child will have reached an age where they will likely survive a 30ma shock before they will be able to plug in a plug into a socket judging from watching may kids grow up with the standard fit round peg in round hole toys.

So as long as to British Standard unlikely to be a problem. However with grand children I did note how they liked all little plastic things including the silly plastic blanks made for sockets. It was just a natural extension of fit the block in hole game.

Problem is thy have two homes one in UK and one in Turkey and the latter uses German rubbish so in Turkey the socket protector takes on a different light and how does one explain that they should use them in Turkey but not in UK? Lucky my daughter is able to grasp the duel standards and how here we can drink water from the tap but in Turkey she can't.

But I have not seen any German socket protectors on sale here, neither have I seen any 2A, 5A, or 15A British and all 13A since first designed during the war have included shutters so simple "don't buy the rubbish" they have no use in this country.

It always seems to me that a disproportionate amount of fuss is made over shutters when there are other connectors all around the house which have none. Look at kettle leads, IEC leads on computers, "figure-8" and similar connectors on equipment and so on. None have shutters, and although the openings are smaller than those on BS1363 sockets, they will still accept objects such as paperclips, nail files, etc. And that's not to mention things like a bedside light, which with the lamp removed has readily touchable contacts in the lampholder.