Protect Children and Pets From Electrical Hazards

Accidents around the home result in millions of injuries to the most vulnerable members of your family — young children and pets — each year. For example, approximately 2,400 children receive emergency room treatment annually for injuries caused by inserting objects into electrical receptacles, according the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

With a few precautions, these & other injuries can be avoided.

• Install tamper resistant outlets (TROs) that protect against small children inserting foreign objects into them. Simple plastic caps typically used can be easily removed by some children.

• Keep electrical cords tied up or out of sight.

• Unplug all appliances when they are not being used, such as hair dryers or coffee makers.

• Keep appliances out of children’s bathrooms.

• Teach children not to touch appliances when they have wet hands and to keep appliances away from water.

• Teach children other basic safety tips such as staying away from outlets and not touching electrical cords.

Some of the same tips apply to pets

• Keep electrical cords away from cats and puppies who love to chew on them.

• Make sure night lights and appliances are fully plugged in. Partially exposed prongs can be a temptation to curious critters, which is especially dangerous when you are asleep.

• Keep halogen lamps away from pet play areas. If knocked over, they could start a fire.

• Keep appliances in bathrooms away from water. Playful pets can knock radios or curling irons into water, creating a dangerous situation.

• Discourage cats and dogs from curling up for naps behind electrical equipment such as computers.

Source: SafeElectricity.org