PARENTS are being urged to throw out a ‘dangerous’ baby safety product used by millions of households every day.
Plug protectors are one of the most common tools families use to protect their children from the dangers of electrical shock.
But a report by consumer website Which? suggested parents ditch the popular safety tool amid fears it could do more harm than good.
This is because the design disrupts existing security mechanisms inside standard UK sockets, it warned.
A typical UK 13 amp socket is already safe and has a plastic shutter that closes when the socket is empty.
The purpose of this shutter is to provide a barrier against 230 volts of electricity or your child’s fingers
However, tools such as plastic plug protectors can actually open these shutters, posing a threat to your child’s safety.
The experts at Which? also say that if the item intended to protect your child is inserted incorrectly, such as upside down or cracked in half, it can cause more damage to the shutter.
Worse, electricians warned, they could damage internal connections and increase the risk of arcing leading to melted or burned outlets.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the NHS have also warned against their use.
“It’s understandable that we want to do everything we can to protect our children from the dangers of electricity, so we understand why people are drawn to socket covers,” said Steve Cole, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Public Affairs at RoSPA. .
“However, the truth is that they can be more dangerous than having a bare socket.”
“That’s why we agree with the latest report from Which? and that the safest approach to child-proofing your electrical sockets is basically to leave them untouched,” he added.
The Electrical Safety Foundation (ESF) also told The Sun that it is advising parents not to use the device.
The statement reads: “ESF recommends avoiding the use of removable outlet covers.
“A study conducted by Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, USA, found that 100% of all two- to four-year-old children were able to remove one type of plastic outlet cover within 10 seconds.”
Why are plug covers dangerous?
STEVE COLE from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) explains exactly why plug covers are dangerous
Many home and commercial outlets are equipped with built-in safety features such as protective shutters to protect live components.
However, when socket covers are used, they bypass these closures, leaving live parts exposed and a potential hazard.
Due to the incompatibility between the socket covers and the sockets, they are prone to loosening. This not only exposes the outlet, but also risks damage that could lead to electric shock, overheating and fire.
HOW TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE
Parents are encouraged to educate children about the dangers of touching the plug instead of using covers.
Harry Kind, consumer rights expert at Which?, said: “If you are concerned about small children near sockets, we recommend that you wrap electrical cables neatly away and as far out of reach as possible.
He added: “You may also want to turn off any outlets you’re not using or block them with large pieces of furniture like the sofa.”
Instead, it is recommended that the best way to protect your electrical outlets from children is to leave them alone.
One cost-effective tip from consumer rights expert Martyn James was to look at things from your child’s perspective.
You can do this by lying on the floor and looking around at objects in your house from this point of view.
“We as adults tend to look down on things we don’t look at and we look up like a baby,” he said.
“Things that we tend to overlook because they look safe at first glance are probably the first things your child will use to stand up.”
He added: “Those are the things you have to check. Ask yourself, is it going to tip over and crush the baby or is it going to break?”
It is important to stay vigilant and stay informed about things that could harm your child.
Sometimes retailers recall products if they notice dangerous defects in an item.
Last month, Next noticed a problem with its three-pack of legless yellow, white and blue sleepsuits and issued a recall notice.
You can read more about the problem here.
This comes after iCandy announced a voluntary recall of the Orange 4 stroller due to a potential safety issue with immediate effect.
The brand has stopped all sales of this specific stroller after discovering a potential manufacturing defect that could pose a risk to small babies.
In most cases, products are recalled because there is a security risk to customers.
Elsewhere, the CocoMelon interactive learning doll JJ is being pulled from the shelves due to safety concerns.