Three unsafe electrical products you should never buy
Could you have a hidden electrical hazard in your home?
While most electrical goods from reputable brands are perfectly safe to use, certain products are an accident waiting to happen.
Here are three unsafe electrical products you should always avoid…
Never buy Protective plug socket covers
Every parent knows the mischief your little ones can get up to when they start crawling. Baby-proofing your home is vital for keeping them safe.
But did you know those little plastic covers for electrical sockets have actually been condemned by the Department of Health and the Department of Education?
The trouble is, they’re basically unnecessary. By law, all standard plug sockets in the UK feature shutters, which block access to the live contacts inside the socket.
Inserting a plug opens the shutters, and taking it out closes them again. Your child won’t be able to touch the live contacts while the shutters are closed.
(Some sockets – particularly older ones – have shutters which open when you push the top earth pin into the socket, while others will only open when you push all three pins in at the same time. We’ll explain why this is important in a moment.)
But what if the shutters are broken? It’s an unlikely scenario; but even then, socket pin holes are designed to be too small for fingers to get inside.
Standard plug pins are about a centimetre and a half long. They need to be this long in order to reach the live contacts deep inside the socket.
Even before they begin to crawl, your baby’s fingers will be too big to reach any more than a few millimeters into the socket.
Ok, but what’s the harm in having socket covers as an extra little peace of mind?
Unlike real electrical plugs (which must meet BS 1363 design standards for safety), there’s no strict regulations on dummy socket covers.
A poorly designed cover can be easily removed by children, and the flexible plastic can enable them to insert the earth pin upside down; which could potentially open up the shutters on the live pin holes!
Not only that, but badly manufactured covers can also damage shutters, or even cause your sockets to overheat and catch fire.
In short, protective socket covers can actually make your sockets more dangerous for your family.
If you’re still worried, you’re better off having your sockets checked by a professional to see which shutter type they use. If they open via the earth pin, you might want to get them replaced with the type that only opens when all three pins are inserted.
Never buy knockoff chargers
Any knockoff electrical product can potentially pose a danger; but as we’ve become more and more reliant on our phones and tablets over the years, fake chargers have become a serious problem.
A cheaply made charger can present a serious fire or shock hazard, which can be deadly for you and your entire household.
First off, if you’re shopping for chargers online, beware of any bargain listings on sites like Amazon, eBay and Wish.
It’s disturbingly easy for unscrupulous manufacturers to get their products on these platforms, and hard to track these manufacturers down if something goes wrong; so if the price seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Steer clear of chargers that don’t have clear labelling or branding. A good charger will usually display the manufacturer’s logo, as well as a product ID number, voltage/amp/watt specifications, and hopefully a manufacturing batch number too.
Also, be sure to avoid any chargers which don’t have a CE mark. This symbol is placed on products that meet European electronics safety requirements; although it can also be forged, so don’t rely on the symbol alone as assurance that the charger is safe.
Some other telltale signs of fake chargers:
- Are there spelling errors on the labelling?
- Does the charger ‘feel’ cheaply made? Does the plastic feel flimsy or hollow?
- Does the charger fit in a switched-off plug socket? Is it difficult to push it in and/or take it out? Does the charger sit flush with the socket, or does it jut out slightly?
Never buy unsafe travel adaptors
There was a time when holiday travel adaptors were just for razors, hairdryers, irons, kettles and camcorders.
These days, no luggage bag is complete without them; they’re essential for keeping our phones and devices topped up while we’re abroad.
Unfortunately, like phone chargers, the travel adaptor market is flooded with counterfeits and dodgy third-party models; not helped by the huge diversity of power specifications from one country to the next.
To make matters worse, the UK had no specific regulations on travel adaptors until the BS 8546 standard was introduced in 2016; so it was easier for poorly made adapters to make it onto shelves.
If you’re planning a holiday this year, ask yourself these questions when choosing an adapter. (Be sure to use a switched-off socket when testing!)
- Does the labelling provide clear maximum power ratings as well as branding and product IDs?
- Is there a CE mark, or even better, a BSI kitemark?
- Does it come with instructions? Are they clear? Are there spelling mistakes?
- Is the adapter easy to plug in and remove, or does it get wedged in the socket easily? What about plugging things into the adapter itself?
- Are there any pins or metal parts exposed while the adapter is plugged in, which could potentially shock you while plugging the adapter into a socket or taking it out?
- If the adapter was plugged into a socket with a metal faceplate, could these parts touch the faceplate and turn the whole socket into a shock hazard?
- Does it have shutters, like the aforementioned shutters on UK sockets? Can you push the shutters open with a pen or screwdriver? (We’d recommend testing this while the adapter is not plugged into a socket, just in case!)
- Does it have a fuse, to protect against power overloads?
- For countries that use earthed sockets, does your adapter’s earth pin socket actually connect to anything? (If it’s just hollow plastic with no metal contact, it won’t offer any earthing protection.)
Again, as with chargers, avoid cheap unbranded products sold online; and of course, don’t forget to research the socket and voltage of your destination country to make sure your adapter is compatible!
Need a reliable electrician to check the safety of your sockets? JC Electrical UK can provide testing and new socket installation across London for both domestic and commercial customers. Get in touch on 0208 839 9561 or email info@jcelectric.co.uk to learn more!
More than just a London based electrician
With JC Electrical (UK) Ltd, electrical contractors in London you can expect a professional service tailored to your individual needs. Not only do we offer Testing Maintenance, & Certification and test and inspection. We also provide commercial Emergency callouts.
We can supply, install, test and repair everything from safety and security systems to smart lighting, specialist Lighting and emergency lighting , air conditioning and bespoke commercial solutions including network cabling, fire alarms and door entry & access control installers.
Our professional NICEIC-approved electricians can install modern, reliable EV charger (Electric vehicle charging) points across West London and the rest of the capital.
Our services for homeowners include
Audio Visual, Burglar Alarm / Home security installations, home Smart Lighting and Solar Panel Installation.
Additional reading
Our site also includes some really great articles and answers some faqs.
For more details, or for a free quote, call JC Electrical (UK) Ltd on 0208 839 9561 today or get in touch via our contact form.
NICEIC Approved Electricians + Registered Competent Person
