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I know this was discussed in the past but what it the current best practice for those plastic covers that theyy put into sockets in nurseries and the like. I don’t like them as the can damage the socket especially if the earth pin breaks off and ends up stuck in the earth socket: I have seen it done. Nothing on the HSE or Ofsted websites. Anything elsewhere?
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Rank: Super forum user 
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 1 user thanked WatsonD for this useful post.
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2 users thanked paul.skyrme for this useful post.
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Find the newsletter at : http://webarchive.nation...rly-years-september-2011
Ofsted advice issued in September 2011 states, ‘We neither encourage nor discourage the responsible use of socket covers as part of a risk-assessed approach to electrical safety. ‘Inspectors should not set actions or make recommendations in relation to the use of socket covers and should not refer specifically to these in their reports. ‘It is for the provider to decide, as part of the risk assessment they carry out at their premises, how best to protect children from any dangers associated with electric sockets and appliances.’
Ofsted Early years inspection and regulation, 2011. Edited by user 17 March 2017 15:50:19(UTC)
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: aud  Find the newsletter at : http://webarchive.nation...rly-years-september-2011
Ofsted advice issued in September 2011 states, ‘We neither encourage nor discourage the responsible use of socket covers as part of a risk-assessed approach to electrical safety. ‘Inspectors should not set actions or make recommendations in relation to the use of socket covers and should not refer specifically to these in their reports. ‘It is for the provider to decide, as part of the risk assessment they carry out at their premises, how best to protect children from any dangers associated with electric sockets and appliances.’
Ofsted Early years inspection and regulation, 2011.
ie "I am sitting on the fence." Yes this what our nursery quoted.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Noting that they are not controlled to the dimensions that a BS1363 socket outlet is designed to accept, in that the pins could be longer, thicker, or wider than the allowable dimensions for a BS1363 plug, they could in turn damage the socket outlet. Therefore, the person using them must ensure that they are dimensionally compatible with the socket outlet in order not to cause deliberate damage to the socket, and thus increase the electrical and fire hazards. The NHS have seen sense, most Professional Engineers are of the opinion that they are unsuitable for fitting into a BS1363 socket outlet, it is about time that these infernal contraptions were banned from sale.
OFSTED, ROSPA etc, have no professional engineers on board to give them advice I gather, so what would they know about the situation. The NHS alert started with their Engineers, so I would say that is enough proof.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: aud ...
Ofsted advice issued in September 2011 states, ‘We neither encourage nor discourage the responsible use of socket covers as part of a risk-assessed approach to electrical safety. ...
Responsible use, yep, check that they are dimensionally compatible with a BS1363 socket outlet first. So you need to get a copy of the standard and verify that the pin sizes of the protectors to be used are within the tolerances in the standard first, then you need to undertake dielectric testing on the materials. If this isn't done, then their use is irresponsible at best, if not reckless endangerment of others.
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Rank: New forum user
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Although it is not illegal to use electrical safety socket covers, the Department of Health have issued the warning that these covers should not be used in any social care or health setting.
The Department for Education has also recommended that schools/nurseries should consider this alert when carrying out their own risk assessment to identify if the risk from inserting covers are greater than not inserting them.
As I'm sure you know all electrical sockets are designed to BS1363 and have intrinsically designed features. (This standard has been in operation since 1947) and so all electrical sockets in your school should already conform to this standard.
CLEAPSS also support the removal of plug socket safety covers which is mentioned in the 158 Spring 2017 Bulletin.
The youtube video link below shows why the socket covers are not recommended, when considering the risks at your premise. If you feel that it would be beneficial for the sockets covers to remain, you need to know why the covers are dangerous, the link to the video below explains this in detail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-WhFgaqCX0
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