Experts are urging people to check their electrical devices for ‘clover leaf’ shaped plugs, warning that they can cause fires or electric shocks. Clover leaf plugs are smaller than standard plugs and do not meet the legal requirements for plugs sold in the UK.
Three examples of clover leaf plugs - photos: Electrical Safety First
Clover leaf plugs pose significant risks and should be avoided. Here’s why:
- Risk of electric shock - The pins on these plugs are close to the edges, making it easier for users to accidentally touch them when inserting or removing the plug from a mains socket
- Fire hazard - The absence of any fuse inside a clover leaf plug presents a serious fire risk.
These substandard plugs have been found on various electrical products, including hair dryers, e-bike and e-scooter chargers, and hair straighteners.
"The plug is the most obvious tell-tale sign as to whether a product is compliant and safe," explains Giuseppe Capanna of Electrical Safety First, the UK’s leading charity on electrical safety.
"A gift you received or a bargain you might have bagged should be fused so that the device can cut out in the event of a fault. It should also have a distance of 9.5mm between the plug pins and the edge of the plug.
"If the plug attached to your device is shaped like a clover leaf stop using it immediately and return it."
