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Throw away your dangerous plug protectors right now
Often marketed as an essential safety tool for parents, plug protectors promise to shield children from the dangers of electric shocks – but experts say they do the opposite.
As you can see in our video above, these well-meaning devices might actually be putting your household in greater danger, because their design disrupts the existing safety mechanisms inside standard UK plug sockets. We explain more below.
Keep your children safe and your peace of mind intact with the only guide you'll ever need to baby-proof your home
Why are plug protectors dangerous?
Far from offering the intended protection, plug protectors can, in fact, increase the risk of electric shock and fire hazards. Organisations including The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the NHS both advise against them.
To understand why they're dangerous, you first have to understand how sockets work.
British 13-amp plug sockets are designed to be safe. They have plastic barriers, which slide into place when the socket is empty, essentially creating a block between the electrical current and any small fingers trying to poke their way in. When a plug is inserted, the earth pin moves the barrier, and whatever device you're powering gets electricity.
One of the only other things that can easily move the safety barrier out of the way is something the size and shape of a normal plug – for example, a plastic plug protector.
When these are inserted in the socket, it leaves the circuit open, increasing the risk of electric shocks. What's more worrying is that these protectors can be inserted upside down, or easily snapped in half to allow even easier access to the electric current.
In a nutshell, by using a plug protector, you are basically undoing all of the safety features inherent in a UK socket. Not only are you risking causing shocks or starting an electrical fire, but also melting and damaging the socket itself.
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How do I baby-proof sockets?
The best way to baby-proof your electrical outlets is basically to leave them alone.
Once your child is old enough to understand, teach them the importance of keeping their fingers away from sockets. Until then, you might have greater peace of mind if you keep your sockets out of reach, for example by putting large pieces of furniture in front of them. You should also turn off any plugs you're not using.
Make sure all cords and wires are neatly packed away, and avoid overloading your sockets.
For more advice on keeping kids safe at home, see our baby-proofing guide.
How to dispose of plug protectors
Check the packaging on your protector to see if it's recyclable. If it isn't, dispose of it in your general waste bin.
Take a look at our guide to baby first aid to find out what should be in your first aid kid and what to do with a minor injury or in a medical emergency
