Keeping Your Child Safe From Electric Shock – 5 Must-Follow Rules

Children have been observed to be at less risk from electric shock when compared to adults. Although this is so, electrical appliances are potentially dangerous in so many ways. Old appliances and children should not be put together because the resulting incident could be burns, fires, or death at the worst possible scenario.

Look for the Telltale Signs

Did you know that you could prevent electric shock by being vigilant? There are actually many signs pointing to the dangers that are waiting to happen – frayed wires, scorched wires or sockets, burnt smell and many more.

Today’s sockets are designed so that it is almost impossible for a child to stick his fingers in. But it is so easy for the little child to play grown up and start plugging in the iron or curling rod. To ease your mind, you can buy socket covers so that your little ones will not be in danger of plugging in appliances in your absence.

Unplug for Utmost Safety

One of the easiest ways to steer clear of electric shock is to keep the sockets free from a lot of plugged in appliances. One socket could only take so much lights and appliances.

There are tips that apply to children of all ages whether you are keeping an infant, toddler or an eight-year old safe from electric shock. Most of the time, it is as simple as unplugging any electrical device that can get hot such as flat irons, hair straighteners and such. With these unplugged, there is no risk of electric shock or fire.

Unplugging does not just help in terms of safety; it can also help in lowering your monthly electric bills. Not a lot of people know that appliances still eat up little amounts of electricity even when they are merely plugged.

Turn Off Appliances That Are No Longer In Use

When you are about to go to bed, be sure to check every socket in your home. If you see electrical appliances that are still plugged, then make sure to unplug them right away. Keeping them plugged in can result in overheating and, possibly, electrical fire. Unless the appliance is actually designed to stay on for hours at a time (such as your refrigerator), it is better to just unplug it.

If it is really inconvenient or improbable for you to turn off or unplug certain appliances in your home, then consider using smart power strips. A few companies have developed these strips that monitor electricity usage in every plug. They can turn off the ones that have been idle.

Water and Electricity are Arch Enemies

What better way is there to teach your children about electrical safety than to discuss the most basic? Tell them to keep away from sockets if their hands or body are wet. Tell them also to steer clear of sockets when they are standing in a pool of water.

Remind Your Children About the Dangers of Electricity

Different age levels have different ways of understanding the word – danger. For toddlers, while they may be old enough to comprehend basic instructions, they may not yet fully understand what danger really means. To be on the safe side, it is best to keep appliances well out of your toddler’s reach. If you have to construct high shelves to store some appliances, then do so.

As children get old, however, your work of reminding them about electrical dangers gets a bit easier. Remind older children to take note of basic safety rules. Following rules such as electricity and water should never be mixed should become a habit for them. Remember that teaching your children to keep themselves out of harm’s way is truly rewarding. Even so, make sure that you are around to supervise them if they are going to use any electrical appliance.