ESFI Urges Parents, Families to Keep Children’s Safety in Mind this Holiday Season

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New tamper resistant receptacle (TRR) technology provides a simple, permanent solution for protecting children from shock and burn injuries by preventing insertion of foreign objects into the receptacle altogether.

Arlington, VA (Vocus) December 8, 2010

For many families, festive gatherings of relatives, friends, and neighbors are an important part of the holiday season. According to a recent consumer survey conducted by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), more than sixty percent of holiday guests will be accompanied by children under the age of eighteen.

The winter holiday season is a magical time for children. It is only natural for them to be drawn into the excitement created by the colorful lights, flickering candles, and shiny ornaments that decorate homes throughout the season. Adults must plan for safety to ensure that childhood curiosity does not result in dangerous consequences.

Every day, seven children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for electrical shock and burn injuries caused by tampering with a wall outlet, according to statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Seventy percent of child-related electrical accidents occur at home, when adult supervision is present.

Tamper resistant receptacles (TRRs) are specialized electrical outlets that prevent children from inserting household objects into electrical outlets. TRRs look just like traditional wall outlets, but are designed with spring-loaded receptacle cover plates that close off the receptacle openings unless equal pressure is simultaneously applied.

“New tamper resistant receptacle (TRR) technology provides a simple, permanent solution for protecting children from shock and burn injuries by preventing insertion of foreign objects into the receptacle altogether,” explains ESFI president Brett Brenner.

Many homes and families will host children over the holidays, including grandchildren, friends and neighbors. Keep child safety in mind as you prepare your home for the holidays:

• Look for and eliminate potential danger spots near candles, fireplaces, trees, and electrical outlets. Keep matches, lighters, and candles out of children’s reach.
• Keep children away from holiday lights, electrical decorations, and extension cords to prevent electrical shock and burn injuries.
• Do not use space heaters in rooms where children are unsupervised.
• Turn the thermostat on your water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce the risk of scalding.
• Keep children at least 3 feet away from cooking appliances. Never leave a child unsupervised while cooking or when an electric or gas stove is within reach.
• Install tamper resistant receptacles to prevent electrical shocks and burns, or use safety covers on unused outlets accessible to children.
• Plan for a fire emergency before it happens. Be sure to explain your family fire escape plan to overnight houseguests and babysitters.
• Make sure everyone in your family can recognize the sound of the smoke alarm and knows what it means.
• Read all toy labels and instructions before letting children play with them. Check to make sure the child meets the age requirements specified on the packaging.

Additional planning may be necessary if you plan to host young guests and do not currently have childproofing measures in place. Visit http://www.holidaysafety.org for more tips and tools to help keep children safe throughout the holiday season.

Contact:
Jordanna Shapiro
(703) 841-3291

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