Protect your children and your home with these hot tips
Every parent knows that children are curious by nature. That’s why it might be difficult to keep them away from dangerous areas that they shouldn’t play with. Every day, there are many kids who get treated in emergency rooms due to burn injuries or electrical shock caused by wall outlets around the house.
To avoid these situations from occurring at home, make sure to follow these 7 electrical safety tips for kids at home.
1. Make sure that all of the electrical cords at home are tied up properly and kept out of reach and sight from kids
Bear in mind that cords which might be tripped on are electrical threats not only to children but everyone. That’s why it is advisable to purchase clips to tie out your electrical cords.
2. It is really important to unplug all electrical appliances in your living space when they aren’t being used
Many of these come with a colourful interface and interesting switches or buttons which engage kids to get on their bare hands and experiment. The best way to avoid an electrical shock is to keep all of these appliances unplugged and out of the access or reach of your children.
3. Use a face plate to cover any electrical outlet in your house that are easily reached by children
Avoid installing outlets down low near areas where the kids will be playing such as the living room or bedroom. Also, keep in mind to use sliding plates for regularly used outlets and complete covers for rarely used ones.
4. You should not keep or use any electrical appliances in wet areas such as the bathroom
After a shower, your kids might be curious and touch their wet hands on these units. Since water and electricity are a perfect couple, this can lead to many fatal cases. Thus, it is better to place a hair dryer, for example, in your own bedroom.
5. When your kids are old enough, make sure to teach them about some safety tips with the power outlets
Make sure they understand that it is really dangerous to put anything in a powerpoint or touch anything with a cord attached. It is a good idea to use graphics and pictures to help your children learn quickly.
6. Electrical safety should also extend to the outdoor space
Educate your kids not to climb a tree or play around the power lines, utility poles or electricity towers. Also, make sure they understand the dangers of flying their kite near the power poles to prevent any deadly situations from happening.
7. When your kids are mature enough to learn and understand the basic things, it is a good idea to show them how to unplug a cord safely
They should be demonstrated how to pull a cord out of a powerpoint or electrical outlet. This should begin by switching the power off first then pulling the plug out by holding on the plug instead of the cord itself. This will keep them from damaging the delicate structure of the cord, which can be dangerous and result in electrical shocks.
If you have issues or concerns with your electrical setup, please do not hesitate to contact Gordon’s Powers. We offer a wide variety of maintenance plans with electrical inspections to keep your home always safe.