Parents and Grandparents, do you have kid-safe outlets in your home? Apartment Managers, do you have them in your apartments? According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately 2,400 children suffer severe shock and burns each year when they stick items into electrical receptacles; and, it is estimated that there are 6 to 12 related child fatalities each year.
This doesn’t just happen because of poor parenting. All it takes is for the adult to look away from the child for a few seconds and a child can be badly burned, or worse.
Several methods are available for kid-safe outlets, including plastic caps that plug the opening, sliding outlet covers, and tamper-resistant receptacles (TRR.)
- Plastic caps offer good protection, but it can be annoying to remove & replace them each time you want to use an outlet, and they can also become a choking hazard if the child puts them in their mouth.
- Sliding covers are initially good protection, but if the child watches an adult open them a few times they can learn to operate them on their own.
- Tamper-resistant receptacles are a reliable and economical choice and have been required in all new and renovated dwellings by the National Electrical Code since 2008. They are designed with a small door that blocks the openings until equal pressure is applied to both sides. If a child tries to push a paper clip or key into one side, the door won’t open; but when an adult tries to insert the double-bladed plug of a lamp or vacuum cleaner, the door opens easily. The force needed to insert the plug is no greater than for any other outlet. Cost is not an issue, either, since TRRs only cost a little more than a standard outlet.
If you don’t have kid-safe outlets and you have small ones around your home, Frye Electric would be glad to update your outlets to TRR. For over 50 years we have been a trusted and reliable electrical contractor in the Indianapolis area, with thousands of satisfied customers. Contact us for expert advice or a free quote and see why we should be the only electrician you ever call.