Challenge to Parents: Nightlights and Lamps are Not Toys

With shorter days and the return to standard time, parents and caregivers often turn to lamps and nightlights to help small children become accustomed to the dark. A number of such lamps and nightlights manufactured and sold today with cartoon-like designs may have a toy-like appearance. As such, these lights are attractive to children, who may see them as toys.

We at Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative and the experts at the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), caution parents and caregivers that such lights can pose safety hazards when not used properly. Portable lamps and nightlights are not toys, and children should never be allowed to play with them.

Playing with either portable lamps or nightlights can cause personal injury such as electric shock and burns, death, and loss of property. SVEC and ESFI urge consumers to follow these safety tips to avoid electrical accidents:

• Only adults and older children should operate electrical lamps and other electrical equipment.  Small children should never be allowed to operate portable lamps or nightlights.
• Children should not plug in or unplug portable lamps or nightlights. Instead, remind children to ask an adult for help.
• Parents should check to make sure the proper wattage bulb is being used in lights.
• Consumers should handle nightlights carefully to ensure that the plug blades are fully and correctly inserted into the receptacle. Use caution when handling nightlights, and avoid twisting or using pressure, which can cause components to break off and expose wiring.  This can result in risks of electrical shock and burns.
• Consumers should make sure the nightlights or lamps they purchase are certified by recognized independent testing labs such as UL, CSA, or ETL.

Children can learn about improper uses of electric items such as nightlights and lamps and the consequences of unsafe behavior. Teaching safe electrical principles early in life can help establish lifelong electrical safety habits. To find these and other safety tips and resources, including the Mr. Plug Fun Book with educational coloring and activities for children, visit the Foundation's website at www.electrical-safety.org, or call (703) 841-3229.

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