LAWRENCE, Ind. Dec. 29, 2009 - Bright lights and beautiful decorations make the holidays magical, and with them come annual reminders about fire hazards and home electrical safety. But after the champagne fizzles, an important new electrical safety code may be rejected, leaving Indiana children without the same protection as others in the U.S.

Thousands of children suffer injuries each year from inserting objects into electrical outlets (receptacles), and the 2008 National Electrical Code® (NEC) requires all new homes to have tamper-resistant electrical outlets. Unfortunately, the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission excluded this important safety measure, Section 406.11, from the state electrical code.

The current decision would make Indiana the only state to officially reject the tamper-resistant requirement, denying local children the same protection as 35 other states in the U.S. Now the Indiana Residential Code is being revised, and if enough Hoosiers speak up Section 406.11 could be included within it.

The Indiana Residential Code Review Committee is scheduled to meet on Jan. 7 at the Sterrett Center, 8950 Otis Ave, Lawrence. The Committee is expected to consider testimony regarding Section 406.11.

A tamper-resistant receptacle's built-in shutter system prevents a child from inserting an object into the outlet and suffering a painful electric shock or burn, but plugs can be inserted and removed as usual. Unlike plastic outlet caps, which can be removed or forgotten, tamper-resistant receptacles offer automatic and permanent protection against electrical injuries.

"It's unsettling to see resistance to the tamper-resistant requirement after a clear majority of the country has embraced it," said Andrei Moldoveanu, technical director for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). "We hope the state residential code doesn't have the same shortsighted exclusion as the state electrical code. Indiana children deserve the same protection as those elsewhere."

Hospitals have required these devices in pediatric care wards for more than 20 years. But, despite longstanding use of tamper-resistant receptacles within the healthcare industry, the need for them in homes has been questioned.

The Code adoption has been disputed due to concerns over compliance costs, but NEMA estimates that tamper-resistant receptacles would add less than $70 to the cost of a new home's electrical system.

As of Dec. 3, the Code had taken effect at the state level in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. Several local jurisdictions in Alabama, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas had also begun enforcement. Two other states, Louisiana and Wisconsin, are expected to implement the NEC on Jan. 1, 2010.

Parents, homeowners, and building and electrical professionals wanting to learn about tamper-resistant receptacles, child safety statistics and Code details can view an informational video and other resources at NEMA's Real Safety Web site: www.childoutletsafety.org. Additional information can be found at Electrical Safety Foundation International: www.esfi.org.

The NEC is an American National Standard developed by electrical safety experts under strict rules to ensure openness and broad representation by all interests. NEC adoption takes place on a state-by-state basis.