In article , Martin Angove
writes
And why do we need the darned things anyway? Most 3-pin sockets [1] have
a very good "gate" arrangement which requires an earth pin-sized object
to be inserted into the earth socket before pins enter the L&N sockets.
A wedge-lever in the earth socket then lowers gates on the L&N sockets.
To do this manually requires a very high degree of manual dexterity and
a tool or two.

Quite agree! Presumably those who drafted BS1363 went to considerable
lengths to come up with a design that would be safe for adults AND
children.

I've always suspected those covers sold to people who think the
electricity might "leak out" otherwise!

John.
--
**** ****
http://www.evenlode.demon.co.uk
John Mann -- Hook Norton -- Oxfordshire -- UK