Installation,Meyer Electrical Services Inc
Written by Walt Meyer

Make Electrical Outlets Safe for Your Kids

Raising a family with children will require taking a few extra steps for home safety. One of those steps is protecting young kids from the dangers of electrical outlets. Fortunately, this is quite simple with the help of an experienced licensed electrician who can install child-proof outlets in most homes.

Child Injury Data

The latest data gathered by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that over a 10-year period, more than 24,000 children less than 10 years old received emergency room treatment due to electrical receptacle incidents. That is an average of seven kids daily. More than 70% of these incidents happened at home, and they usually resulted from sticking household items like keys, paper clips, nails, and hairpins into outlets. The injuries were typically first or second degree burns, but some were much more serious.

Typical Victim Profile

Regardless of age, boys are at the highest risk of being injured by an electrical receptacle incident. Children 2 to 3 years old were injured in 50% of the incidents, and they were the highest-risk age group.

The typical victim of an electrical receptacle incident is a 2-3 year old boy that was injured at home after inserting a hairpin into an electrical outlet. His finger received a first or second degree electrical burn, which needed treatment in an emergency room. The incident caused emotional trauma to both the child and his parents.

Child-Proof Outlets

The majority of new parents typically use plastic outlet covers to baby-proof their homes. Unfortunately, it is not very difficult for children who are just two years old to remove a plastic outlet cover. Once detached, children may put it in their mouths, accidentally swallow it, and begin choking. A safer solution is the tamper-resistant electrical receptacle. In contrast to plastic outlet covers, tamper-resistant outlets automatically give homeowners child-proof protection that is permanent and reliable.

Electrical Services You Can Trust

Founded in 1991 and serving Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., where we are licensed and insured, Meyer Electrical Services provides home and commercial electrical services you can trust, including:

• Standby Generator Installation
• Panel Upgrades (Heavy-Ups)
• Electrical Vehicle Charging Stations
• Structured Cabling
• Circuit Breaker Replacement

Based in Bethesda, our team proudly serves all of Montgomery County. Receive a free consultation for custom electrical work today by calling (301) 941-1400.