Electrical Cords and Safety Tips For Kids and Adults

A free article on Home and Family

By: Chris Lees

Did you ever notice how toddlers love to try to stick their finger in the power outlets in your house? It seems like it is a natural instinct to want to stick your finger in an outlet when you are a young child. I don't know why but it doesn't stop there. Even as children grow up a little and mature a bit, and once they are aware of the dangers of electricity, kids still aren't usually completely aware of the electrical hazards around them.

I would like to provide a few tips in this article regarding electrical safety and kids. The truth is one zap can kill you. Plain and simple. Just like a bug in an outdoor 'bug light.' So knowing where dangers may lie is the first step toward avoiding an accidental injury or even death by electric shock.

Fallen electrical wires are something to stay away from. Sometimes after a storm or even a car accident you may see fallen electrical wires laying on the ground. Just because they are not sparking for showing signs of being a live wire they usually are. You have to stay away from fallen wires. Don't even get close as the rest of the wire could fall down and who knows where it might land.

For instance, if you were involved in a car accident and there are wires laying across the car but it looks like you can get out and escape...don't! Just a short while ago a young girl from my home town was killed exactly in this way. First her friend, the driver got out and she was fine. So the girl in the passengers seat also got out carefully. A moment later a branch fell out of the tree they hit and knocked a power line down and it killed upon contact.

Kites can be dangerous too. Just because that crazy nut Ben Franklin was flying a kite with a key on the end of it doesn't mean it is safe to fly kites in the rain. If your kite gets struck by lightning say goodbye! You could be finished in an instant. Don't fly your kite near any electrical wires either as the same thing can happen.

Don't pull cords out of the electrical socket by just yanking on the cord. It could break and cook you in your seat! Always remove a cord from an electrical outlet carefully by holding the appropriate part of the cord near the plug. And if you see any damaged cords in your house let someone know right away as they could even just catch fire. Electrical cords are dangerous.

Never put your finger in the light bulb socket! This one is really dangerous as even grown ups who know better can touch the inside of the socket if they are not careful. This is the same as grabbing a live wire, it will zap you and could easily kill you. Also parents should keep this in mind and never leave a light bulb socket empty for too long. Buy a new light bulb and screw it in as soon as possible, just to make sure that you remove a potential hazard.

Last but not least cover your power outlets or electrical outlets with outlet covers. This prevents your little ones from sticking their fingers in the holes of the outlet. We already talked about that and I'm sure you agree. Kids just love that mysterious power outlet. Of course it doesn't have to be just a finger but anything they stick in the outlet can hurt or kill them.

So cover your cords and outlets and make sure your appliances are unplugged when you clean them and stay away from fallen wires.