Being safe around electricity is important for adults and children alike. There are a lot of rules and best practices to keep in mind whether you’re inside or outside. This brief guide will walk you through the main safety tips to walk kids through.
Electrical Safety Indoors
The main threats in any home or building for a child are:
- Wall receptacles
- Appliance plugs
- Exposed wires
It’s important to consistently show kids how to treat electrical materials. That means keeping wires neat, out of the way and dry. Be sure to not unplug things by yanking on the wire. And, of course, never put anything into a wall receptacle that isn’t the correct plug.
Depending on the age of your child/children, you should consider leaving wall receptacles covered using an approved insulated insert. M. R. Electricians can also provide “Tamper Resistant” rated receptacles which can prevent foreign objects from being inserted into the receptacle. It is equally important to not use wires that are frayed.
Electrical Safety Outdoors
The main threats for a child outside are:
- Power lines
- Substations
- Thunderstorms
Playing outside is an essential part of childhood, but, in order to make sure things don’t go wrong, warn the kids from playing near power lines. Flying a kite, climbing a tree, or flying a drone near a power line are all activities that must be avoided.
Being able to recognize and stay away from an electric substation, or anything with a ‘High Voltage’ sign, is also important. Even if a ball or a pet gets trapped behind the fence of a substation, it is better for a child to call and wait for an adult.
Lastly, for thunderstorms, warn kids about staying under trees, which are likely to get struck by lightning. Unlike modern buildings, which have lighting rods, a lightning bolt will set a tree on fire and possibly shock anybody near it.
