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How to Teach Kids Electrical Safety

Damien Taylor • Feb 16, 2022

Let’s face it, it’s near impossible to have eyes on your small children all the time. And as much as we try to safety proof or helicopter they always seem to find a way to mess around with things they shouldn’t. Here at DTE we are dedicating the month of February to home electrical safety advice, starting with our youngest generation.

Here are some tips and ideas for educating your kids on how to be safe around electricity in the home...

DTE Electrical and Data Blog-image-teach-your-kids-electrical-safety-image

Education – Speaking Their Language

Helping kids understand the importance of electrical safety is a lifesaving lesson. You can make education an adventure – the more entertaining the material, the more they will absorb and understand. Consider using books and YouTube videos to support your explanations. Keep it interesting, interactive, and fun.

Below are some of our favourite recommendations:

Oscar and the Bird by Geoff Waring
Cracking About by Jacqui Bailey
These can be ordered through The Book Connection, visit https://www.bookconnection.com.au/

You could research online videos specifically for kids on electrical safety, like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr9YntO7V1U

Another fun way to teach kids about electricity is to get an electricity experiment kit. Kids can make simple circuits, set off buzzers, and light up bulbs. https://www.harveynorman.com.au/snap-circuits-mini-kit-basic-electricity.html

Or check out this kit on using lemons to power a clock: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0065FYTT2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B0065FYTT2&linkCode=as2&tag=cheshiresentu-21&linkId=240350193ad57b08767b952eb331f12a

Family Rules Around Electrical Safety

Now that you have given your kids a child-friendly overview on electrical safety and some potential consequences of mishandling electricity, it’s time to set some family rules. See some examples from our Director Damo’s household below:

Never poke sharp objects into the toaster or electrical sockets.
Never touch electrical appliances without your parents’ supervision.
Never climb the fence at an electrical substation to retrieve a ball.
Never fly your kite or climb a tree near overhead power lines.
Never touch electrical appliances or light switches with wet hands.

This is also a good time to run through the emergency numbers with your kids and what they should do if something goes wrong.

Show your Kids the Right Way

We know kids are little sponges so make sure you follow the family rules yourself and always use electricity in the right way to pass on those good habits. As you go about your day use any opportunity to explain what you are doing with an electrical appliance or switch i.e. turning the power point off before pulling the electric blender’s plug out of the wall.

Safety Tips for the Household

Use child-proof covers on electrical outlets while your kids are little and keep cords out of reach.
Avoid phone chargers and cords ending up in your kid’s mouth by putting them up when not in use or you’re not around to monitor.
Keep liquids well away from electrical appliances.
Do not overload power outlets.
Correctly install extension cords as they can be a harmful trip or strangling hazard. You can run extension cords behind furniture and along walls to avoid tripping. Make sure they are firm to the wall so kids can’t get twisted up in them but not too tight as this can put pressure on the prongs in the outlet and cause damage to the cord and the socket. Extension cords shouldn’t be used as a permanent solution but if you have to use them for an extended period, you should pin them neatly along the skirting board and over door frames with removable sticky hooks.
Show your kids how to remove a plug by holding it and not pulling at the cord.
Don’t leave cords on the ground in a coil with power charging through them as they can overheat.
Have safety switches installed to cut power immediately if there is an emergency.

If you require any information on electrical safety equipment for your home or have some unsafe electrical hazards in need of repair, call the DTE Electrical & Data team on 6800 1703. As a family business, we know the importance of providing a safe environment for our kids!

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Take your Bathroom Lighting to the Next Level

By Nikki Taylor • 30 Jun, 2022

Picture this, you’re at a motel getting ready for your mate's wedding, you’re the best man and you need a shave. As you wipe the fog from the mirror you realise it’s near impossible to see what you are doing. The only light in the bathroom is a crappy low-voltage bulb that shines a dull yellow glow. Well, this should be interesting… After applying the shaving foam you start swiping your razor, relying on muscle memory to get the job done. Moments later you’ve nicked yourself… twice! You feel the sting. You can’t locate the cuts. You can barely see anything. You pull yourself together and power through with your trusty Gillette Fusion, hoping for the best. Later, you’re at the top of the aisle handing your mate the rings and feel something run down your cheek. It can’t be a tear; you’re not even that good of friends! You swiftly brush your hand to your face to find the shaving nick has reopened and you now have a single stream of blood running down your jawline. On top of that you discover the sizable patch of whiskers you missed this morning. The result - you will forever be known as the “scruffy friend” and will spend the rest of your days defending yourself against bad bathroom lighting. It doesn’t matter if you are getting ready for a big event, a night out or doing your daily 8-step skincare routine, you need both functional and beautiful bathroom lighting to complete the job.

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