A reminder to everyone - FatallyFlawed - Child Plug Socket Covers Campaign

[wigan]

I had these given me about 30years ago (i think) and noticed they were crap, the mrs plugged one in but when I tried to pull it out the earth pin snapped off leaving pos & neg open. Took faceplate off to get out, threw them in bin and told all our friends & relatives when we saw them. Forgot about them till I saw this thread.

Have now posted on facebook & twittered the link

 

[1shortcircuit]

Today I visited a job where the clients had just welcomed a new baby into their home, Two weeks old. Anyway I was only there for a brief moment as I was replacing a pull cord switch for them in their bathroom. As it took me longer to drink the cup of tea I was made we got chatting about the baby.... Straight away I asked if they had purchased any of these socket protectors... Yes was the answer.

I removed one from the packet, there were other items in there that they still wanted, and demonstrated exactly what can happen when it's put in correctly. The item snapped in half very easily allowing the top pin to push in far enough to open the conductor covers, I then got my voltage tester and inserted the probes inside to display how much voltage their baby could potentially come into contact with one day.... Not a single RCD in the property.

It turns out that the Mother is a preschool teacher/Nursery teacher and these products are fitted everywhere at her work place When I explained that she should request that they are moved she said "they won't listen to me" ???

 

[Brightspark2]

Ive always said there not needed as they have internal shutters, HOWEVER I understand that with the socket covers in there easy to remove and they could be inserted upside down and the shutters will drop BUT even without them this can happen a child could poke something into the earth pin and down come the shutters just the same.

The MK ones however are a different story, there great, I'll only be installing them from now on.

 

[trev]

My learned friends, we now have a petition. It is here Regulate the sale of all plug-in devices intended for use in 13A sockets - e-petitions
Please post it up on social network sites, tell all your friends about it and most importantly. Sign it

 

[1shortcircuit]

Signed:thumbsup

 

[Yorkshire Bill]

Just a reminder to everyone, could you all please keep banging the drum for the http://www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/ site and campaign?

The sooner the world is rid of “childproof socket covers” the better it will be.

I’ve managed to get them banned from two health care trusts, with your help more should follow.

I will spread the word.........show and tell at school is a good place to start.

 

[Knobhead]

Now posted to Conference Room 4

 

[UNG]

Spoke with an Ofsted inspector some months ago and he said from being pro socket covers Ofsted were now sat on the fence and don't get mentioned in reports anymore

I like that!

Here are some more suggestions.

The biggest influence on Government safety thinking is RoSPA "Our mission is to save lives and reduce injuries". But, although we tend to think of RoSPA as a charity - and they promote that idea heavily, if you take a look at their accounts you will see that it is a substantial business, with most of its funding coming from Government. One of their biggest income generators is the "SAFE AT HOME SCHEME" which they run on behalf of the Government. RoSPA are far from independent, and they do not like to rock the boat. They are driven by statistics rather than any direct analysis of what constitutes danger, and because there are no detailed statistics on accidents related to sockets they take the view that there is not a problem. Here is an extract from an email from RoSPA's Deputy Chief Executive:

"As our Policy statement on the subject suggests, we are deliberately neither in favour nor against the use of socket covers because on the positive side, they can prevent young children from plugging in appliances like hair straighteners...and reduce the risk of serious burns. On the negative side, the standard British plug socket is an inherently very safe design and there is no need to use socket covers in an attempt to make them even more safe. RoSPA's position won't change unless evidence suggests that socket covers have suddenly started to seriously harm hundreds of children every year."

That seems to us like hundreds too many to sacrifice!

RoSPA do not employ people with any expertise in the subject, their retained "Product Safety Consultant" once told me that the 13A sockets in his home did not have shutters, when I queried why he thought that, he told me that there was no sign of the shutters on the outside of the socket!

The RoSPA policy on electricity refers to "Modern 13-amp power sockets made to BS 1363:1995 incorporate a shutter mechanism, which prevent inappropriate access to the live connectors." That causes confusion. What it should say is, of course, "13-amp power sockets made to BS 1363 incorporate a shutter mechanism, which prevent inappropriate access to the live connectors." but understanding that all BS 1363 sockets have shutters seems to be beyond them!

How about everyone on this forum who feels strongly about this sends an email to RoSPA? [email protected]

So it doesn't matter that these objects can damage the socket outlet and ultimately people. It seems to me many safety related organisations are too scared to get their heads out of the sand and have a blinkered approach to this subject of killing off these covers

 

[trev]

Now posted to Conference Room 4

Also uk-fire.net (firefighters forum) mumsnet and gransnet, getting some good feedback there (apart from being told off for calling someone mate hehe). Going to find a few more today

 

[Rockingit]

I was in my local Barnardos outreach office yesterday doing their PAT testing, and I spotted boxes of Mothercare 'home safety' packs that they give out..... gave them the talk and straight away the manager took on board what I was saying and has flagged it up with head office. Besides, I thought Mothercare had now stopped selling them??