- Joined
- May 8, 2011
- Messages
- 85
- Reaction score
- 97
i have just taken my little boy for his 1st year check up. when i was in the building i saw hundreds of these in sockets. I didnt say anything as i was planning to after our appointment, but during she said make sure you have 'plug safety covers' i then butted in with actually it is a socket and these no place in any building. i gave her an explanation as to why but she just looked at me like i didnt know what i was saying, i even demonstrated to her! With that i left but i did manage to catch a chap in a suit with a clipboard listening to me, he asked me to email over the information and concerns with regards to actually taking them all out and in their 'parent packs' expressing the non use of them and if any doubt to seek somebody who knows. is there a letter or website i forward him on to get these out?
Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the support! Please draw his attention to the FatallyFlawed website at www.fatallyflawed.org.uk pointing out in particular the quote from Mark Coles which says "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.”
Make sure he understands that Mark is Technical Regulations Manager at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, he is the guy in charge of the wiring regs! (You could also draw attention to Mark's article - it is at
http://electrical.------.org/wiring-matters/44/wall-socket-protectors.cfm?type=pdf
Please also ask him to read the statement from MK on the FatallyFlawed homepage, as a reminder, that says:
“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.”
If we all continue to spread the word we will eventually win!