Child-proof your electrical sockets

Anyone with kids will know that curious little fingers can end up anywhere, so it's essential to make a home child-proof, whether this involves putting up fire guards or installing safety gates.

But they are the obvious measures to take. What about your electrical switches and sockets? These can present a real danger to babies and toddlers, especially if they are installed at crawling height.

So what can you do to protect your little ones? Anneke Rousseau, head of communications at the Electrical Safety Council (ESC), has some advice.

She said that in many cases people are relying on the wrong kind of protection, focusing primarily on socket covers as a means of keeping tiny fingers out.

"Socket covers are generally safe because they comply to EU standards," Ms Rousseau noted.

"But what we want people to do is ensure that their electrical insulation itself is safe so there's no need for socket covers."

Her comments come after a survey by the ESC found that 62 per cent of parents have socket covers, yet only 38 per cent have adequate residual current device (RCD) protection.

"RCDs are designed to fit into your fuse box to prevent electric shock," Ms Rousseau explained.

"What we've found is that half of UK homes don't have adequate RCD protection and that number is even higher among new parents.

"We want people to ensure they have an RCD in their fuse box to prevent them and their family from being electrocuted."

Other steps you can take to keep kids safe around electrical appliances is to check for any burn marks on sockets and make sure cables are out of reach and not running under carpets or trailing across floors.

You should also be smart about where you place your appliances and how you use them. For example, don't put them anywhere near water or area with high humidity.