Child Proof Electrical Outlets for Play Time Safety
Raising a family with children in your home will require taking a few extra steps for safety. One of them is protecting young kids from the dangers of electrical outlets. Fortunately, this is quite simple with the help of a licensed electrician. Child-proof outlets can be quickly installed by an experienced electrician in most homes.
Child Injury Data
Data gathered by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found more than 2,000 children a year received emergency room treatment due to electrical receptacle incidents. That is an average of seven kids daily. More than 70% of these incidents happened at home, and they usually resulted from sticking household items like keys, paper clips, nails, and hairpins into outlets. The injuries were typically first or second degree burns, but some were much more serious.
Typical Victim Profile
Regardless of age, boys are at the highest risk of being injured by an electrical receptacle incident. Children 2 to 3 years old were injured in 50% of the incidents, and they were the highest-risk age group.
The typical victim of an electrical receptacle incident is a boy who was 2 to 3 years old. He was injured at home after inserting a hairpin into an electrical outlet. His finger received a first or second degree electrical burn, which needed treatment in an emergency room. The incident caused emotional trauma to both the child and his parents.
Child-Proof Outlets
The majority of new parents typically use plastic outlet covers to baby-proof their homes. Unfortunately, it is not very difficult for children who are two years old to remove a plastic outlet cover. Once detached, a child may put it in his or her mouth and may end up choking. A safer solution is the tamper-resistant electrical receptacle. In contrast to plastic outlet covers, tamper-resistant outlets automatically give homeowners child-proof protection that is permanent and reliable.
Electrical Peace of Mind
Providing professional electricians since 1988 in Maryland, Cook Electric is the company you can rely on for all your electrical service needs, including:
- Commercial & Residential Electrical Installations
- Marina & Residential Pier Wiring
- Electrical Service & Repair
- Specialty Electrical Services
For knowledgeable, fair, honest, reliable, and conscientious service, call Cook Electric today at (410) 266-9040. We will be very glad to help you.