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

[SYKRAPS]

I was working at a church hall just last week where simple plastic child proof socket protection was in operation 'you know the plastic plug in things to stop kids sticking things in sockets'.

To my horror in 2 of the sockets in the hall someone had broken the protectors whilst probably removing them leaving the plastic earth prong in situe, thus leaving the L & N terminals open and easily accessible with any slim metal object.

I obviously removed the foreign body from the earth inlet as an obvious duty of care, but for gods sake this was an area where small children were allowed to rome on a daily basis as it was a pre school club.

There were only 2 twin sockets in the hall so why does someone not report such things????????????

A 10 second job that removes a serious risk of electric shock.

 

[Knobhead]

All you can do is point them in the direction of the Fatally Flawed site and hope they see sense. Try to drum in to them the danger of ignoring the faulty sockets put the children in. Ultimatly they too have a duty of care.

 

[terminator]

A slight correction to my post above (358) - The 'article' that I refer to is in 'Wiring Matters #45' but was not an article as such, it was actually in the 'Letters' page' (by John Madden.) He also mentions whether an RCD would have prevented the tragedy which is a valid point.

I just hope that the workmen responsible for leaving that cable with the plug still attached were prosecuted?

 

[FatallyFlawed]

I just hope that the workmen responsible for leaving that cable with the plug still attached were prosecuted?

If they were it did not make the news!

 

[pyrosym]

Re: Fatally Flawed

Interestingly Amazon has been busy removing most of the negative comments about the Clippasafe socket covers. They clearly do not like the truth.

This greatly surprises me as I had always regarded Amazon as an honest retailer.

Hmm maybe they will do the same with their Kindle Fire HD reviews its worth reading the 1 star reviews to get an idea on how money grabbing Amazon really are! example you have to pay more when you buy it to remove amazon spam advertising!

I'm not surprised they will sell dangerous plug covers if it lines the coffers

 

[FatallyFlawed]

A slight correction to my post above (358) - The 'article' that I refer to is in 'Wiring Matters #45' but was not an article as such, it was actually in the 'Letters' page' (by John Madden.) He also mentions whether an RCD would have prevented the tragedy which is a valid point.

A further update now that I have read the actual letter.

1. Mr Madden's own evidence to the enquiry made it clear that Liam held the line wire in one hand, and the neutral wire in the other. It is therefore clear that an RCD would have had no effect on the outcome as the current flow was, in effect, normal, so there would have been no residual earth current. I can find nothing in the reporting which indicates that RCDs were discussed at the inquiry, and they are not mentioned in the Sheriff's determination. I am firmly of the view that RCDs are a valuable adjunct to safety, but they can only operate if there is leakage to ground, nothing can protect a child who has connected themselves to mains voltage in the way that Liam did.

2. Viewing the photograph which accompanied Mr Madden's letter I was surprised to see that the plug in question was a rewirable plug, this means that it could have been rendered safe by the simple expedient of disconnecting it from the cable. I find it inexplicable that Mr Madden did not mention this to the inquiry.

3. I find it very surprising that any electrical engineer would give a professional opinion that socket covers have any value when they are completely unregulated and there are none which comply with BS 1363 dimensions. It is perfectly valid to call for a standard for socket covers, but not to recommend their use in the absence of such a standard!

 

[rickwookie]

I've only come across this thread/campaign for the first time today, but I've been saying this for the last 5 years, since we had our first child and the wife was thinking of getting socket 'protectors'. At first I just thought they were another scam to sell useless tat to new parents, since BS sockets have protection built-in, but then a friend pointed out that the 'protectors' would be the perfect 'tool' to bypass that same built-in protection!

Whenever I've then suggested this to other parents when I see them using them, they roll their eyes and respond "well I don't think they'd sell them if they weren't necessary/safe".

So glad there's a campaign to stop this madness.

BTW, regarding the post above about an RCD not being any use, would there not be a path to ground through the child's feet?

 

[Knobhead]

Have you signed the E-Petition?

 

[DJ Ovengloves]

Petition signed and told family / friends about this.

 

[scooby61173]

Petition signed and told family / friends about this.

Needless to say, have also removed all of my socket protectors.
(ashamed to say, as a maintenance elctrician of many years, the thought that they could put my little boy in more not less danger has only just hit home since seeing this thread & associated website).

Dave.

 

[Knobhead]

hi,
I showed the website to a local nursery manager a few months back. She immediately removed all these covers only to have a Mum have an eppy fit at her.

coresso, I note you're US based. In the US they are a good thing with their standard socket outlets. The UK is where we're concerned.
Where are you please.​

 

[captaincaveman]

I used to campaign a decade a go at the cinema i worked at to have them. I've just text the manager to remove them lol. Has anyone let Watchdog know? If they mentioned it no-one would be using them

 

[Knobhead]

Sorry CC, I couldn't resist this.

Quick march!
About turn!
Quick march!

:stuart:

 

[Baem25]

All my kids do is pull them out constantly

 

[Popski]

Hi Tony I've signed the petition, I always thought they were a waste of time. But having said that I have a big bag of them and use them in floor box sockets during construction, saves all the crap going ito the sockets and are much quicker to install than taping up with insulation tape