They might seem harmless enough, but double adaptors — or two-way adaptors, as they are also called — can be just 1-2mm away from causing real harm. To people and buildings.
Why’s that?
- Well, the design and the way these adaptors are used means it’s quite common for the leads connected to them to become partially dislodged. This is usually due to the weight of the lead, combined with movement and/or knocking. It’s easy to do, but the result is that LIVE pins become exposed, and this can create a very real and present danger to any person close by. Even a narrow gap of 1–2 mm provides enough room for a metal object, such as a paper clip, key, nail or necklace to touch the exposed pins. The result? A dangerous short circuit. Or even electrocution.
- On top of that, typically, these adaptors don’t have any type of overload or surge protection incorporated into their design. This means that they can become overloaded, producing excessive heat generation, which, in turn, results in the device melting or catching fire.
For these reasons, most leading businesses, and nearly all construction and demolition sites, have totally banned the use of two-way/double adaptors in their workplace.
If you still have these adaptors in your workplace, you should give serious consideration to removing them, and adopting a policy of using a safer option such as power-boards — or better still, have extra power outlets installed.
Foot Note: We have a real-life case where a client’s premises nearly caught fire as a result of a paper clip falling off a desk and landing across the pins of a double adaptor – creating a full short circuit. Fortunately the paper clip melted before a fire started, however both the double adapater and the power point have obvious signs of heat damage and evidence a fire could easily have started.