Nearly 2,400 children each year – seven children a day – are treated in hospitals for shocks and burns from electrical outlets. Most of these injuries are the result of small children placing ordinary household items into the outlets with disastrous consequences. However, using tamper-resistant outlets as required in the new 2008 National Electrical Code could all but eliminate this hazard says the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).

Tamper-resistant outlets look like normal wall outlets but inside they feature a shutter mechanism that protects children from sticking hairpins, keys, paper clips and other foreign objects into the receptacle. The spring-loaded shutter system in the outlet only allows electricity to flow when equal pressure is applied simultaneously to both shutters such as when an electrical plug is inserted. During unused conditions, both outlet shutters and openings are covered.

Unfortunately, not every state will benefit from this life-saving technology immediately. The 2008 National Electrical Code (NEC) is a standard developed by the National Fire Protection Association and it does not become law until it is officially adopted by each state. Based on historical adoption rates, most states and cities can be expected to adopt the 2008 NEC within two years. As states consider whether to adopt fully the 2008 NEC or not, they should remember who really pays the price when safety is sacrificed.

Posted: February 25th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has had a turbulent year. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Last week CPSC lost its quorum…again.

For those of you who may not intimately follow the cloak and dagger politics of the safety world, let me explain why all of this matters. A quorum for CPSC means having three commissioners. Without a quorum, CPSC cannot vote on new safety standards, or take aggressive actions against companies that have failed to report hazardous or defective products. Even more importantly, it cannot issue mandatory recalls. That’s right, without a quorum it can only issue voluntary recalls. Which doesn’t help in cases like one that came up recently where CPSC was unable to recall a dangerous ATV designed for children (it had no front brakes) because the importer did not agree to a recall.

As CPSC finds itself in limbo once again, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) encourages you to be more proactive in safeguarding your family and home from dangerous electrical products.

Here are the top 5 things you can do to avoid hazardous electrical products:

1. Avoid buying electrical products from deep discount stores. Many consumers unknowingly purchase counterfeit electrical products. Knock-off extension cords, decorative lights, receptacles, hair dryers, irons, toasters and hundreds of other consumer products have caused shocks, electrocutions and fires. These products are missing key safety features and are often found at deep discount stores, flea markets, and on similar online forums
2. Make sure that your home has Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) and that they are working. GFCIs are special outlets that recognize when electricity is leaking from an electrical product and then cut power to that product in milliseconds. GFCIs have been credited for saving thousands of people from electrocution over the last three decades. If GFCIs were installed in all homes, experts suggest that 70 percent of the approximately 400 electrocutions that occur each year in the home could be prevented.
3. Use extension cords appropriately. No joke…this is an issue. CPSC estimates that about 2,000 people are treated each year for injuries associated with extension cords. Remember that extension cords are designed for temporary use only. Do not run them under furniture or rugs. Replace cracked, worn or frayed extension cords with new ones.
4. Use the appropriate wattage of light bulb. Want a brighter room? Just grab a higher wattage light bulb, right? Wrong! A bulb of too high wattage or of the wrong type may lead to fires. Some ceiling fixtures and recessed lights even trap heat.
5. Let common sense be your guide. Altering plugs or cords and using electrical products close to water are recipes for disaster. If you ever have any questions or concerns about an electrical product, call the manufacturer or qualified service professional.

Posted: February 11th, 2008 under Home Safety.
Comments: none