A reminder to everyone - FatallyFlawed - Child Plug Socket Covers Campaign

[Rockingit]

The key words are childproof, because every so called child proof device I have seen in 47 years has been defeated by way too many kids way too quickly, they would need to have lockable switches and that introduces other problems.

Ain't that the truth?! My two year old has already booked her slot to do 17th......

 

[Outspoken]

Ain't that the truth?! My two year old has already booked her slot to do 17th......

I know that one, my 4 year old can use the computer to navigate the internet if left alone and she is better that the other half and I when playing certain games on the tablets, and as for the 3 year old, so far he has started to dismantle just about everything in the house (I have to ensure no tools are about now) and has even managed to fire up my welder, which involved plugging it in and turning on an Isolator and an MCB that is remote to it...(It now has an MCB lock on it and a padlock on the isolator!)

 

[FatallyFlawed]

At the end of the day BS 1363 is one of the best systems in the world for domestic power outlets.

My son is 28 years old, I was fighting against socket outlet covers from before his birth.
My biggest opponent, my wife!
I converted her eventually and it was funny when a “health visitor” called after the birth of our son and pulled her up for not having the outlet covers in place. He left rapidly!

We’ve years of indoctrination to dispel, it’s going to be a long road, one I’ll stay with.

This is a good reminder from Tony that he and others were spreading the word that socket covers are a bad thing long before we founded FatallyFlawed five years ago.

Recent posts indicate the complexity of trying to make an existing safe system even safer, and I do not believe that there is a need for that. The shutters required by BS 1363 do an excellent job of preventing small children poking objects into the live parts of a socket, but as others have indicated, making something truly childproof is probably not possible, as children become more skilled and learn to do two handed tasks the need is to educate them rather than place ever more difficult barriers in their path. Having said that, it is important to keep dangerous appliances beyond the reach of children.

Whether you believe that socket covers should be regulated (no existing ones would meet any sensible standard) or banned outright, the task remains to raise the awareness of legislators on this subject. It is an unfortunate fact that the minister responsible for consumer protection still thinks that, while socket covers are unnecessary, they are also harmless. The more messages the minister receives from MPs whose knowledgeable constituents tell them that this is not so, the better. Quoting Mark Coles (IET Technical Regulations Manager) is a helpful thing to do, Mark said in his article in "Wiring Matters" “Socket-outlets to BS 1363 are the safest in the world and have been since they were first designed in the 1940s. Socket protectors are not regulated for safety, therefore, using a non-standard system to protect a long established safe system is not sensible.” If you include your own experiences of having to deal with sockets damaged by socket covers, that is even better.

Please write to your MP, if you do not get a reply, chase them. If you get a reply that says there is not a problem, challenge them!

 

[Engineer54]

Ain't that the truth?! My two year old has already booked her slot to do 17th......

And she'll Pass too!! lol!!

Just make sure she doesn't pinch any of your tools, so that she can make a few bob pocket money, doing odd electrical jobs for the neighbours. After all, she will be deemed as a competent person!! lol!!

 

[Carpe Diem]

GoodNews! Just had a phone call from my local medical centre to thank me forpointing out the dangers of these things. They have removed them from thebuilding. They did say though that they would have preferred that theinformation was presented on an official website. I guess they werethinking about something like the HSE site or ESC sitese It's a little awkward that the ESC site states that they are arguably safer. Socket blanking plugs : Electrical Safety Council

 

[Knobhead]

Since when has the ESC done anything about safety?

Well done with getting them chucked out of one place though, every little helps.

 

[ipf]

Doing some maintenance in the local doctors' surgerys last week. The place was full of them, inserted by the cleaner, i was told. I explained the dangers to the practice manager. She was thankful and interested, saying she would look into 'fatally'. Calling with an invoice next week so I'll find out the result, very hopeful.

 

[skamuk]

Removed mine a couple years ago and have told mum (childminder) and a friend of mine who has two kids, to get rid of them. Also signed petition. Will continue to spread the word.

 

[Edd]

Just took my son to the dentist, every socket in the place had a socket cover pluged into it! The receptionest looked at me a little strange when i asked to borrow a pen and paper and wrote down the fatallyflawed web address, and asking her to pass it on to management. I do hope when I go back they have all been removed. Remember people every little helps.

 

[Knobhead]

Health care and social services have to be our targets, they can influence new mothers. Just as the retailers do, unfortunately they have a 30 year lead on us.

I just wish I had an easy answer.

As I’ve said before, there’s 30 years of intuitional brainwashing to clear away.