Tips for Toddlers and electricity

Toddlers and electricity: Did you know?

• Toddlers can chew or even bite through electrical wires
• Wet toddlers who grab an electrical appliance are exposed to electric shock
• Some socket covers are easy to remove, leaving and toddlers to poke fingers, metal objects or wet mouths into outlets
• Babies and toddlers are inherently risk-prone and should never be left unattended and allowed to ‘play’ with socket-outlets

5 simple steps to safety

• Download the ESC ‘Home Electrical Safety Check’ app to do a simple safety check of your home
• Install an RCD in your fuse box, or use a plug-in version
• Do not rely on socket covers, to be safe they must be backed up with RCD protection
• Keep all electrical cords out of reach of children
• Check wires and sockets for scorch marks or signs of electrical danger

Common parent safety blunders

• 62% do not have adequate RCD protection
• Only half (50%) cleared cables, which could cause avoid tripping or strangulation
• One in ten (9%) admitted to knowingly using a faulty plug in the home
• Only a third (32%) have checked plugs or wires for scorch marks or fraying in the last year
• Nearly half (47%) used electrical items dangerously close to water