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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be surprised the amount of places that still have "child plug safety" things

96 replies

JumpyCastle · 15/07/2017 08:25

This week I've seen them in a coffee shop, a friend's house and a local leisure centre. How is it still so common to have these devices that make a normal plug so much more dangerous?

Where is the daily mail scare story's when you need them?!

OP posts:
TrashPanda · 15/07/2017 08:29

One of our local soft play places had a post on Facebook offering them free to customers. I messaged them with the Fatally Flawed link but didn't get a reply. So I put the link on the post, the whole post was deleted really quickly. Not sure if they are still giving them out though.

Notsosureanymoors · 15/07/2017 08:30

Whats wrong with them then?

megletthesecond · 15/07/2017 08:31

Yanbu. I don't understand why they haven't been banned.

Toysaurus · 15/07/2017 08:31

It depends where it is in the cafe. The commercial premises I had had some plug sockets in awkward places. I ended up putting these in because people would knock drinks over and blow the electrics.

00100001 · 15/07/2017 08:33

Why are they dangerous?

thepatchworkcat · 15/07/2017 08:33

What's the problem with them?

ememem84 · 15/07/2017 08:33

I don't understand. What's bad about them?

16middlenames · 15/07/2017 08:33

More info please....

PaintingByNumbers · 15/07/2017 08:35

Its stupid, but why they are legal and sold is more odd

Luckymummy22 · 15/07/2017 08:38

We still have them in our home. We've read the research so are aware of the dangers but really don't fancy the idea of our boy putting his hand in the socket (he would as he's that way inclined)

16middlenames · 15/07/2017 08:38

Googled it instead. I read a Telegraph article and believe its content but the fatally flawed website looks like a pile of shit. Too many exclamation marks and hyperbolic statements make it look totally fake.

PaintingByNumbers · 15/07/2017 08:39

Its all about looks - look like you take health and safety seriously regardless of actual impact. Performance parenting/childcaring.

BeyondThePage · 15/07/2017 08:39

They are dangerous in the home because people often leave kids playing in what they think is a safe room, they can then access the "safety" plugs and turn them round etc, not being seen for some time.

However - when out and about in public you should be supervising your kids - especially in a coffee shop where hot drinks could be spilled. They would not have the time to do anything with the sockets because they would not be anywhere near them.

All I would suggest is having a word with the manager if it bothers you.

Our workplace has the lockable hinged box type socket covers that need a special device to unlock them (stops people plugging in and charging their phones whilst waiting!)

icelolly99 · 15/07/2017 08:39

www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/. Well everyday's a school day!

pastabest · 15/07/2017 08:41

The playgroup I've just started going to has them Shock

Keep debating whether to say anything. Maybe once I've been more than twice!

Coloursthatweremyjoy · 15/07/2017 08:41

I worked in a playgroup that had them everywhere at least 10 in each room. I'm not even exaggerating, the building had been converted from a previous use.

I tried to tell them but they wouldn't listen, was the tip of the iceberg let me tell you...

PaintingByNumbers · 15/07/2017 08:46

What you could do when googling is follow the links to the govt department official advice

Luckymummy, if you read the research I am very curious why you still thought your child would be able to put their fingers in the socket and damage themselves? What made you think this that you read?

Tamatoa · 15/07/2017 08:49

Anything can be shoved into the top hole of a plug. at least covers are hard to remove, I struggle. A weak infant will never get them off. Older kids can be told no.

PaintingByNumbers · 15/07/2017 08:53

Sigh

PaintingByNumbers · 15/07/2017 08:54

This is why government guidance should be changed so covers are banned. People need protecting from themselves.

Original poster
JumpyCastle · 15/07/2017 08:56

People need protecting from themselves.

I wrote a long reply and gave up, this sums it all up.

Sadly it will take a serious incident for something to be done about it.

OP posts:
Notsosureanymoors · 15/07/2017 08:56

So its safer to watch your child every second and not let them put fingers in plug sockets than to have a protector thingy that then means you're a lazy parent because you can leave them alone but they might get them out and might then stick their fingers in the sockets? Don't get it.

missyB1 · 15/07/2017 09:00

I had the socket covers and could barely remove them myself (they are very tight fitting), my babies had zero chance.

AdalindSchade · 15/07/2017 09:05

I really don't understand why they are dangerous. So they override the shutters inside the socket - but if A child removes them then the shutters are back to where they should be. And it's only as dangerous as if you never had them in the first place. How can they damage the socket?
Also, whose kids have fingers small enough to shove in a socket anyway?