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Mommy's Helper Outlet Plugs, 36 Count
$4.99
- Review
- TAG : Socketsafe retails at price points from £7.99 per double socket cover
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Though they admit there are no cases of any children being harmed by socket covers, they argue that the classic British plug three-hole plug socket already has a major safety feature integrated into its design, which is undermined by the use of child plug guards.
David Peacock, a fellow of the IET, said: "In recent years, many companies have been marketing plastic 'safety socket covers' in the misguided belief that these are an essential tool to prevent children from inserting their fingers or other objects into plug sockets. It has now been established that plug-in covers are actually unsafe."
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"Our socket covers can only be removed by using the earth pin of a plug," he said. "It is much easier for a child to remove a plug itself and invert it, so it is therefore far safer to cover up the area."
"Our socket covers can only be removed by using the earth pin of a plug," he said. "It is much easier for a child to remove a plug itself and invert it, so it is therefore far safer to cover up the area."
We asked MK, one of the foremost manufacturers of BS 1363 sockets, for their views on socket covers. They replied:
“MK does not see the need for or support the use of so-called ‘socket-protectors’ in BS 1363-2 socket-outlets due to the fact that protection against access to the live and neutral socket contacts is always provided by the shutters.
At first sight, it ‘seems obvious’ to many that such devices will improve safety but in practice they do the opposite as shown by the numerous examples on the FatallyFlawed website.
‘Socket-protectors’ do not comply with any standard and in practice reduce safety via various means e.g. exposing the live and neutral socket contacts (the opposite of their purpose), providing an easy means of opening shutters by allowing operation of the earth operated shutter mechanism, damaging the socket contacts due to oversize pins and/or short pins.
If ‘socket protectors’ are to continue to be allowed on the UK (and other European markets) then, as a minimum, it is essential that they are designed and manufactured so that:-
The pin dimensions (including length) align with the plug pin dimensions in BS 1363-1.
The materials used are robust and not so soft that they allow the device to be misused by allowing it to operate shutters of an earth operated shutter mechanism.
The device has a surface area which is large enough to completely cover the socket-outlet apertures so that the live socket contacts are not exposed.
MK goes to great lengths to ensure that all its BS 1363 plugs and sockets are safe. Inserting incorrectly dimensioned products into a socket-outlet can both damage the socket and reduce its safety.”
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Plug-in Socket Covers Are Dangerous!
The so-called “safety socket cover” usually takes the form of a dummy 13A plug, but real plugs must be made to a very precise size, and sockets are made to fit them. No socket cover we can find is the right size! Putting the wrong size and shape object into a socket causes a number of problems, including permanent socket damage:
Why make it easy to defeat the safety measures your sockets already have?
Lindam Lockable Electric Socket Covers Prevent your young one from tampering with dangerous electrical outlets with the Lindam Xtra Guard Socket Covers. A dual layer of safety is built in, an anti grip design stops your baby or child from fiddiling with the cover and makes it difficult to remove without using a coin.