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Babyproofing - Electrical Safety

Announcement posted by Amp'd Electrical & Solar 29 May 2014

So your baby is about to start crawling... feeling unprepared? Don't panic! Let us help you baby-proof your home.

Electrical safety is paramount in any home, particularly when you have recently had some new additions (you'd be amazed at what little fingers can get themselves into!). As dads to two little girls, safety (especially electrical safety) in the home is a priority to us, so we believe making your home baby-safe is a very important task.

Here are our important tips for your home:

Covers for power points
Electrical sockets in most homes are at just the right height to attract crawling babies and curious toddlers. Ensure that every power point in your home is covered with a child-resistant outlet cover.

Keep leads tidy
Speaking of appliances, ensure that the cords are kept as short as possible, so that children cannot pull on the appliances, possibly causing themselves injury. Replace electrical appliances and cords if they're worn. Look for appliances with short cords so your baby or toddler is less likely to swing them, or pull and trip on them. The same applies to audio-visual equipment – hang and screw plasma TVs to the wall. If you have lots of electrical leads lying around in your living room, you can buy simple bits of foam tubing that gather them together and hide them, making them less attractive to small children. At night, switch off electrical items wherever possible before going to bed.

Test your smoke alarm
This is an obvious one but something that many parents forget to do regularly. Smoke alarms are cheap, widely available, and essential for every home. Laws state that smoke alarms are required within 3 metres of every bedroom. To keep smoke alarms effective, replace the batteries every year on the same day and keep them dust free. Even better, have a 240v hard-wired smoke alarm installed by your local electrician.

Install a safety switch
Safety switches are compulsory components in all switchboards now and their sole purpose is to protect anyone in and around the home from electrocution. They should also be tested regularly to ensure correct operation.

Clean air conditioner filters
This keeps them hygienic and the air clean for you and your little ones. It also makes them run more efficiently saving power.

Get all work carried out by a qualified electrician
And never do your own electrical work – it's illegal and you could be putting you and family at risk.

For further information:
• Take a look at the child safety fact sheets from Kidsafe
• Get a copy of the Keeping Baby Safe brochure from the ACCC
• Visit local Kidsafe centres – they have great information on nursery furniture safety especially

If you have any questions or would like a safety check conducted on your home, please contact us on 1300 85 98 82 or enquiries@reactiveenergy.com.au