Electrical products a major part of our everyday lives – but unfortunately, they are also extremely dangerous for your child. Babies always want to get their hands on anything they shouldn’t touch, and that includes everything from extension leads and computer cables to appliances and power points. All it takes is one moment for things to go tragically wrong, so we’re going to teach you the basics of electrically proofing your home to keep your baby safe and your electrical items tamper-free.

Install safety switches

We rarely stop to think that our electrical items could cause us harm. However, accidents do happen, especially with a baby crawling or walking about. Faulty appliances and wiring can lead to electric shocks, property damage and even injury or death. But by installing safety switches, you can protect your child from a potential danger. Safety switches are designed to immediately switch off the power when dangerous levels of electricity leak through faulty appliances, wires and switches. They’re also an easy and inexpensive way to enhance the safety levels in your home.

Hide all electrical cords

It’s likely that you have long electrical cords placed somewhere around your home. Long cords and extension leads often find their way into teething mouths, and this can result in an electric shock. Furthermore, once your little one starts to walk, they then become a tripping hazard – so it’s crucial to keep all electrical cords hidden away. If you can’t hide them behind furniture, tidy cords into sections of a foam or PVC pipe so they can’t be easily accessed.

Keep unnecessary appliances unplugged and out of reach

Whether it be lamps, toasters or kettles, always unplug electrical appliances that are not in use and keep them safely out of harm’s way. This is especially important for when your child starts to walk, as they’ll be able to reach things that they couldn’t get to before. Don’t forget about any electrical devices that get hot too. Things like hair dryers and straighteners should be unplugged and stored away as soon as you’ve finished with them. Unless an appliance is designed to stay plugged in and running overnight (the fridge, for example) always turn it off and unplug it.

Replace appliances that are damaged or have frayed cords

Any electrical appliance has the potential to cause an electric shock or a serious house fire. When an appliance appears faulty or damaged, you must switch it off and contact a qualified electrician immediately. If they can’t repair your appliance, you’ll have to replace it. The same can be said for appliances with frayed cords. Electrical cords contain live and neutral wires. Once frayed, the live wire is exposed and leaves your household vulnerable to electric shocks and fires. Check your cords regularly, and replace any appliances with frayed or damaged cords.

Use power point covers

Power point covers sit on top of your existing outlet to prevent your child from poking objects (or their fingers) inside them. You simply remove your existing outlet cover and replace it with the baby-proof one. The great thing about these over power point caps is that you don’t need to keep removing them each time you want to plug something in. When you want to plug in an appliance, you place the prongs of the plug into the cover and slide them across. Once you remove the plug, the cover snaps back into place, meaning you don’t have to remember to make them child safe again.  

Don’t keep electrical appliances near water

Water is a great conductor of electricity. When you touch water that has come into contact with electricity, the electric current will travel through the water and into your body. The current then reaches the ground, which can cause serious injuries. It’s vital to keep all electrical appliances away from water, and never touch anything electrical while you are near water or when your hands are wet. Your child won’t know this, which is why you need to eliminate all risks of them touching anything electrical when they are bathing, washing their hands and during any water related activities.   

Need help from professionals to help baby-proof your home? Browse Yellow Pages today and find trusted electrical contractors in your area.