Safety socket covers - UNSAFE

YBR · 27 December 2018 at 3:14PM

YES

I regularly demonstrate to people how their Socket Cover can be used to defeat the shutters and make their socket unsafe. I explain how they are unregulated and gradually damage sockets as the pins are the wrong size. Nobody I spoke to ever knew that before I got on my soap box.

At my church they have all been removed and the pre-school that meets there has no issues with that (nor does Ofsted). But they keep reappearing. The Safety Officer and I still have to remove, bust and bin random socket covers on occasion!

At many places I visit they have socket covers in some but not all sockets. That's hopeless either way. I do try to use that as a way to start a conversation ...

jimbo6977 · 23 March 2019 at 9:41PM

it's pretty easy to open the earth shutter using some plastic object and wedge something in the live/neutral holes. as anyone who's spent time living in europe and returned to the uk will tell you. quicker and easier than replacing the plug.

rustywallet · 28 June 2019 at 7:36PM

Is he safest option to get an electrician to put a blank cover on a socket that is in a potentially dangerous place for a small child? I have a socket right by a child's bed, I worry they might spill a drink of put their fingers in the socket.

grumbler · 25 October 2019 at 4:08PM

rustywallet wrote: »

Is he safest option to get an electrician to put a blank cover on a socket that is in a potentially dangerous place for a small child? I have a socket right by a child's bed, I worry they might spill a drink of put their fingers in the socket.

I guess nothing can be "safer", but the question is whether this is needed at all.
They definitely can't "put their fingers in the socket" and have to be really skilled to put any smaller objects there.
A cover can be put instead of the socket, to cover the box, not the socket that will need to be replaced with a terminal block.

Generally, it's, I think, a DIY job that doesn't require an electrician, but you'll probably need one if you ask this question.