Real Safety With Tamper Resistant Receptacles

Why Tamper-Resistant (TR) Receptacles Are Safer Than Other Preventive Measures

Effective January 1, 2008, all 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere electrical receptacles in new residential construction must be tamper-resistant receptacles. Tamper-resistant receptacles have built-in shutter systems that prevent foreign objects from touching electrically live components when they're inserted into the slots. The shutters protect against electrical burns without impairing normal plug insertion, removal or function.

• Once installed, they are permanent, offering continuous protection unlike plastic outlet caps that can be removed
• Shuttered wallplates add layers of material between blades and receptacle contacts.  Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has withdrawn its listing from tamper-resistant wallplates
• Tamper-resistant receptacles are certified and subjected to severe and documented testing procedures defined by UL
• Automatic protection whenever a plug is removed

Tamper-Resistant Receptacles Provide eal safety For Children At Risk.

In the U.S., an average of seven children per day (mostly boys under age three) are treated in emergency rooms for injuries due to contact with electrical outlets. Typically, these injuries occur at home and are caused by inserting common objects such as hairpins, keys and paper clips. Most victims experience 1st-degree or 2nd-degree burns-but more serious injuries also occur.

Fortunately, protecting kids from these injuries is simple. Tamper-resistant receptacles (also known as child-safety outlets) look like standard receptacles-but they include automatic shutters, which admit plugs but block other objects. These receptacles have demonstrated their effectiveness in hospital pediatric care areas, where they've been required for years.

Tamper-resistant receptacles are safer than plastic outlet caps (which young kids can easily remove) or sliding-shutter wall plates (which may cause potentially dangerous heat build-up). These receptacles have demonstrated their effectiveness in hospital pediatric care areas, where they've been required for years.

An analysis of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
data over a 10 year period (1991-2001) found:

- 24,000+ children under 10 years old were treated in Emergency Rooms for incidents related to electrical receptacles—about 7 children per day.
- 89% are under 6 years old.
- 50% are 2 to 3 years old—the highest-risk group.
- Boys are the highest risk, regardless of age.