How to protect young children from electric shocks

Electrical outlets present hidden dangers for young children. Learn about the simple and effective things you can do to make your home safer. Follow our tips for preventing accidents and provide your children with a safe environment they can explore risk-free.

Young children might be tempted to:

  • Gnaw on the cord of a small appliance
  • Put a damaged cord in their mouths
  • Chew on an extension cord left on the ground
  • Put their fingers in electrical outlets
  • Put their fingers between the outlet and the plug of an appliance
  • Insert an object into an outlet

Install plug protectors on your electrical outlets

Install plug protectors on unused electrical outlets to prevent young children from inserting objects or their fingers into them. Be sure to choose sturdy plug protectors in neutral colours: children will be less attracted to them.

There are also outlets with a built-in safety mechanism to protect little ones, which makes it harder to insert objects into them.

Keep electric wires out of reach

Keep extension cords and the electric wires of your devices (lamp, kettle, radio, etc.) out of reach. If young children pull on these wires, the device could fall and hurt them.

WARNING :

Or worse, your children could chew on the wire and get a serious electric shock (saliva + electricity = DANGER).