When I was a child in the 1980s my parents had these in the mains sockets in my bedroom. I considered them a challenge, and neverendingly tried to defeat them - being about 4 years old, this was with metal implements. If they had not been there, I would have ignored the sockets as I did with all the others in the house. Eventually my electrician uncle saw them and explained the sockets to my parents and we never used them again
I thought I was very safety concious and bought these safety covers for all rooms. Because our granddaughters have sleep overs. Having seen this excellent demonstration I have removed them all and destroyed them before ditching in the refuse bin. Thank you kindly for sharing this.
I've been telling people this for years. I used to work as a design engineer at Crabtree Electrical and have never understood why anyone would purposely defeat a safety device in teh interests of safety...the BS 1363 socket outlet is the safest in the world.
Also be careful when you remove compact transformers (phone chargers and similar) from the socket. The earth pin (longest) if often made of plastic and can break off in the terminal creating the "open gate" effect. If this happens, turn off your electric supply (make sure its off!) and remove it with a very thin screwdriver or similar. If you can't get it out DO NOT JUST LEAVE IT. Get an electrican to sort the problem.
In addition to what I have already stated - Ive seen both earth and neutral pins broken off in sockets, jamming the gates open and leaving the line exposed. Prolonged use of many covers can actually damage the outlet aswell by bending the contacts out so they will no longer grip the pins properly. This is actually a fire risk as the contact area is reduced resulting in a higher resistance and thus, more heat when current flows. Especially using high-power devices such as kettles.
So, the safety socket covers make a plug socket even more unsafe. Shocking! (no pun intended). I work in a primary school and regularly remove these things and then forget to replace them, I'm glad I did.
Great that MK is now supporting this, extract from FF homepage: “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. .... 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.
As a result of the FatallyFlawed campaign a number of national safety bodies have amended their advice, none now recommend the use of socket covers. Ofsted have instructed all of their inspectors that they must not call for the use of socket covers. Awareness has been raised and thousands of parents now help to spread the word on the dangers. The government has still not acted to regulate them, please sign the government petition calling for regulation - see link on the FatallyFlawed website.
+Dominic Davis-Foster of course they are. there are billions of useless products on the market that have only one reason to have been manufactured: SALES.
@ElliMLowi A valid question, but there are significant differences. Please see the FatallyFlawed website FAQ page for more information. Also, please do not forget that there are a number of other dangers involved in using socket covers, including the possibility that you will permanently damage your socket - see our downloadable Fact Sheets.
@rustypeanuts Please see the FAQ page on the FatallyFlawed website for a full answer to this. There are no socket covers made to the correct pin dimensions, if you force oversize pins into sockets then the contacts will be damaged, this can lead to overheating and fires when the socket is used to supply power. The only fool-proof way of protecting children is to keep all dangerous appliances out of the reach of children, never rely on flimsy pieces of plastic to do a parent's job!
I saw these installed in a nursery, they were MK sockets! My sister has them, plastic odd shaped earth pin with some kind of clip on it got snapped off to remain permanently in the socket. Good thing it was just an old extension lead I was playing around with to demonstrate it!
it is a truly frightening video as a parent, and I am amazed that companies are allowed to sell these devices, The MK sockets look like an improvement on the standard, but these 'safety' devices should be banned. I remember when the pins on plugs for live/neutral were not part shrouded so could sometimes be reached when the plug was partially removed. If you want a really dangerous socket have a look at the universal sockets that will take any plug from around the world, first came across these in India, and they scare the crap out of me...
Good video. Secondary plug protection is one thing but ensuring the installation (Socket Circuit) has protection against fatal electrocution is a better solution to start with. Best to have your socket circuit checked by a qualified electrician to see if you are protected against fatal electric shock by a current of electricity. Modern installations have RCB &/or RCBO's that trip the supply (Shut it off) if an accident occurs in the circuit that could potentially cause a fatal electrical shock.
They're a waste of time anyway! 28yrs ago my firstborn (then aged 3) pulled out the safety socket covers while in her pushchair in Mothercare. We didn't find out until we got outside & found them in her hand & chair. (we did return them) But it came apparent to me, that although these things are hard for adults to remove, (due to bigger fingers) babies upwards could get their little digits behind the plate & remove it.
What we have learned is watch your children, and don't let them play around sockets :D I have two little brothers and they have never gone near the sockets because when I watch them, I play with them or I distract them from the outlets. thanks for your demos!
I hate all these 'safety' things, I never had a single one with my daughter and she never got hurt. My health visitor told me to get these for my son and i told her where to shove it, I've always known about the covers and i've pointed out many times about them popping out. I've also seen children fall down stairs trying to climb over gates, catch fingers in doors by the hinge cos of the stupid door stoppers
So why do we have them at all then? A misconception that still lingers from the days when sockets didn't have the shutters (was there even a time? I presume so) and a market driven solely by ignorance? Edit- Sorry, I should have waited until later in the video before commenting. The shutters have been part of the original design since the 40s.
There's nothing to apologise for; you're absolutely right. These things exploit people's irrational fears for the sole purpose of earning some quick cash.
An prime example of why these things should be illegal; children are curious creatures. Giving them something to fiddle with like this is extremely stupid.
Information from NEMA: In the United States alone, an average of seven children per day are treated in hospital emergency rooms for electrical shocks and burns due to contact with standard wall receptacles. Fortunately, that number should begin to decline as more states and municipalities adopt tamper-resistant code requirements. In fact, today 46 of the 50 states have adopted the National Electrical Code (NEC®) requirement of tamper-resistant receptacles in new home construction.
As of 22/05/13 these are still on sale? What is the response on your findings from the UK Health and Safety authorities? Why has action not been taken based on your evidence. Have any retailers reviewed their policy on selling the product? Have you made them aware?
What hasn't been discussed is the fact that these products are stopping younger children from being able to plug appliances in, Its not just about the shock risk, also the risk that they could have plugged in a power drill, a toaster or anything else that could be seen as a hazard for children.
, and then there's the cupboard locks etc, which not only do the kids work out how to open before you, but also allow parents to do what? not watch their kids in the kitchen? These 'tools' allow parents to not watch their children, allow them to be lazy and imo cause more accidents than they stop
@alistairstuart2009 People think they're buying a good product because they can see how it could work, and companies see it as a way to make money? That's my guess.
The point of them is in the sale of them, some marketting person has managed to convince the public that without these things YOUR CHILD IS IN DANGER.. One punter convinced = more money for the retailer. All that is really required is responsible parenting, don't let your children mess with dangerous things
The NHS has just banned these on their sites, hopefully won't be long until these are illegal.
When I was a child in the 1980s my parents had these in the mains sockets in my bedroom. I considered them a challenge, and neverendingly tried to defeat them - being about 4 years old, this was with metal implements. If they had not been there, I would have ignored the sockets as I did with all the others in the house. Eventually my electrician uncle saw them and explained the sockets to my parents and we never used them again
I thought I was very safety concious and bought these safety covers for all rooms. Because our granddaughters have sleep overs. Having seen this excellent demonstration I have removed them all and destroyed them before ditching in the refuse bin. Thank you kindly for sharing this.
May 2017: They are illegal to sell and to use in public areas. Doesn't seem to stop people though!
I've been telling people this for years. I used to work as a design engineer at Crabtree Electrical and have never understood why anyone would purposely defeat a safety device in teh interests of safety...the BS 1363 socket outlet is the safest in the world.
Yes, they are, and the most safe electric wise as well, only danger is stepping on them :).
Also be careful when you remove compact transformers (phone chargers and similar) from the socket. The earth pin (longest) if often made of plastic and can break off in the terminal creating the "open gate" effect. If this happens, turn off your electric supply (make sure its off!) and remove it with a very thin screwdriver or similar. If you can't get it out DO NOT JUST LEAVE IT. Get an electrican to sort the problem.
In addition to what I have already stated - Ive seen both earth and neutral pins broken off in sockets, jamming the gates open and leaving the line exposed. Prolonged use of many covers can actually damage the outlet aswell by bending the contacts out so they will no longer grip the pins properly. This is actually a fire risk as the contact area is reduced resulting in a higher resistance and thus, more heat when current flows. Especially using high-power devices such as kettles.
I am an electrical engineer and knew some of this but never tried it. good video.
This is exactly why i don't have these. The BS1363 socket is very safe without the stupid plug in "safety" plugs.
So, the safety socket covers make a plug socket even more unsafe. Shocking! (no pun intended). I work in a primary school and regularly remove these things and then forget to replace them, I'm glad I did.
Great that MK is now supporting this, extract from FF homepage:
“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. ....
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.
As a result of the FatallyFlawed campaign a number of national safety bodies have amended their advice, none now recommend the use of socket covers. Ofsted have instructed all of their inspectors that they must not call for the use of socket covers. Awareness has been raised and thousands of parents now help to spread the word on the dangers. The government has still not acted to regulate them, please sign the government petition calling for regulation - see link on the FatallyFlawed website.
Amazingly, the IKEA/Mothercare type are still available on Amazon
+Dominic Davis-Foster
of course they are.
there are billions of useless products on the market that have only one reason to have been manufactured: SALES.
@ElliMLowi A valid question, but there are significant differences. Please see the FatallyFlawed website FAQ page for more information.
Also, please do not forget that there are a number of other dangers involved in using socket covers, including the possibility that you will permanently damage your socket - see our downloadable Fact Sheets.
@rustypeanuts Please see the FAQ page on the FatallyFlawed website for a full answer to this. There are no socket covers made to the correct pin dimensions, if you force oversize pins into sockets then the contacts will be damaged, this can lead to overheating and fires when the socket is used to supply power. The only fool-proof way of protecting children is to keep all dangerous appliances out of the reach of children, never rely on flimsy pieces of plastic to do a parent's job!
I too have been moaning on about this for years but have never had the evidence to back up my opinions. Now I have so thank you.
I saw these installed in a nursery, they were MK sockets! My sister has them, plastic odd shaped earth pin with some kind of clip on it got snapped off to remain permanently in the socket. Good thing it was just an old extension lead I was playing around with to demonstrate it!
it is a truly frightening video as a parent, and I am amazed that companies are allowed to sell these devices, The MK sockets look like an improvement on the standard, but these 'safety' devices should be banned. I remember when the pins on plugs for live/neutral were not part shrouded so could sometimes be reached when the plug was partially removed. If you want a really dangerous socket have a look at the universal sockets that will take any plug from around the world, first came across these in India, and they scare the crap out of me...
Good video. Secondary plug protection is one thing but ensuring the installation (Socket Circuit) has protection against fatal electrocution is a better solution to start with. Best to have your socket circuit checked by a qualified electrician to see if you are protected against fatal electric shock by a current of electricity. Modern installations have RCB &/or RCBO's that trip the supply (Shut it off) if an accident occurs in the circuit that could potentially cause a fatal electrical shock.
They're a waste of time anyway! 28yrs ago my firstborn (then aged 3) pulled out the safety socket covers while in her pushchair in Mothercare. We didn't find out until we got outside & found them in her hand & chair. (we did return them) But it came apparent to me, that although these things are hard for adults to remove, (due to bigger fingers) babies upwards could get their little digits behind the plate & remove it.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein
I thoroughly enjoyed this video, I know you are from the UK, but could you review other international standards, and their flaws?
What we have learned is watch your children, and don't let them play around sockets :D I have two little brothers and they have never gone near the sockets because when I watch them, I play with them or I distract them from the outlets. thanks for your demos!
I hate all these 'safety' things, I never had a single one with my daughter and she never got hurt. My health visitor told me to get these for my son and i told her where to shove it, I've always known about the covers and i've pointed out many times about them popping out. I've also seen children fall down stairs trying to climb over gates, catch fingers in doors by the hinge cos of the stupid door stoppers
So why do we have them at all then? A misconception that still lingers from the days when sockets didn't have the shutters (was there even a time? I presume so) and a market driven solely by ignorance?
Edit- Sorry, I should have waited until later in the video before commenting. The shutters have been part of the original design since the 40s.
There's nothing to apologise for; you're absolutely right. These things exploit people's irrational fears for the sole purpose of earning some quick cash.
this might sound like a silly question but if they make the plugs more dangerous then what is the point of them?
Wow.. we used to have these as I liked to try poke toys into them as a child... I had no idea they could be dangerous...
An prime example of why these things should be illegal; children are curious creatures. Giving them something to fiddle with like this is extremely stupid.
this is the most interesting video I've ever seen in my life!
Information from NEMA:
In the United States alone, an average of seven children per day are treated in hospital emergency rooms for electrical shocks and burns due to contact with standard wall receptacles. Fortunately, that number should begin to decline as more states and municipalities adopt tamper-resistant code requirements. In fact, today 46 of the 50 states have adopted the National Electrical Code (NEC®) requirement of tamper-resistant receptacles in new home construction.
As of 22/05/13 these are still on sale? What is the response on your findings from the UK Health and Safety authorities? Why has action not been taken based on your evidence. Have any retailers reviewed their policy on selling the product? Have you made them aware?
What hasn't been discussed is the fact that these products are stopping younger children from being able to plug appliances in, Its not just about the shock risk, also the risk that they could have plugged in a power drill, a toaster or anything else that could be seen as a hazard for children.
i had socket covers in as a child and remember taking them off
I understand and quite like your campaign, I like how it's not trying to sell me anything, but has this problem been attributed to any deaths?
@robertsulley The UK government ceased to collect relevant statistics in 2003.
@popct20 that is a very good point
, and then there's the cupboard locks etc, which not only do the kids work out how to open before you, but also allow parents to do what? not watch their kids in the kitchen? These 'tools' allow parents to not watch their children, allow them to be lazy and imo cause more accidents than they stop
@alistairstuart2009 People think they're buying a good product because they can see how it could work, and companies see it as a way to make money? That's my guess.
I don't understand why this video got so many thumbs-down. People must be more stupid than I realised.
The USA needs to catch up on safety ours don't have any safety preinstalled.
VOOAW thankyou so much for sharing this video. How dangerous it can be i never knew .
They should be banned when I was a child one of those had broken off inside the earth and it nearly killed me.
Like the tobacco companies, these organisations make millions of pounds of profit by endangering the lives of billions
The point of them is in the sale of them, some marketting person has managed to convince the public that without these things YOUR CHILD IS IN DANGER.. One punter convinced = more money for the retailer. All that is really required is responsible parenting, don't let your children mess with dangerous things