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Extension lead safety relay race

Are you overloading your extension leads? Learn how not to in this safety relay race!

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You’ll need

  • Electrical items lists (see cards below)
  • 4-port extension lead or another way to indicate this (1 per team)
  • Sets of either pictures or words of the electrical items (1 set per team)

Before you begin

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Take a look at our guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.  
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.

Planning and setting up this activity

  • We suggest you bring in a 4-port power extension lead to show the group.
  • You will need either one extension lead per team, or another way of indicating this.
  • You will need sets of either pictures or words of the electrical items prepped ahead of time and enough for one set per team.
  • Ensure you remind the young people to move around the space safely.

Running this activity

  1. Gather the group and explain how today’s activity is all about extension leads and electrical safety. We use electronics daily. Get the group to come up with a quick list of electrical items they use daily. Get them to think about ones that are always plugged in, or ones you plug and un-plug. 
  2. Ask the group how many use extension leads at home? If anyone is unsure what this is, show one you have brought or a picture. Most people have multi-way extension leads in their homes, to increase the number of appliances that they can plug into a wall socket. However, just because there is space to plug in several appliances, this does not mean it is always safe to do so. Additionally, you should never plug one extension lead into another (daisy-chaining). Overloading a socket or daisy-chaining extension leads puts you at risk of having a fire in your home or Scout meeting place. 
  3. Explain how today, we are going to test out how to use an extension lead safely without overloading it in a fun relay race. 
  4. Split the group into small teams. Each team will also need an adult or person who will be the electrical safety checker.
  5. Explain how the group will stand on one side of the space where they will have cut-outs of various electrical items. On the other side of the room, have either a 4-port extension lead or another way to imitate one. This is also where the electrical safety checker will stand. 
  6. One person per team will bring one item at a time across the room to the extension lead. Some items are high power and some are low, but the young people will not know which is which, only the electrical safety checker will have the list that indicates which are which. 
  7. The aim of the game is to come up with as many safe combinations or electronics plugged into the lead as possible. We suggest this be within 5 minutes, but you can change this time depending on the needs of your group. 
  8. If the team overloads the extension lead, all items must go back to the starting point and the team must start again.
  9. If the team successfully finds a combo that does not overload the extension lead, they get 1 point. Each combo must have between 2-4 items plugged into the extension lead. 
  10. The person who is the electrical safety checker will be checking for safe or unsafe combinations and will be keeping track of points.
  11. The team with the most safe combinations after the time set out wins!
  12. Once the relay has ended, gather the group and go through which items have high power and which ones have low. 

Rules for the safety checker

  • All low power items - SAFE 
  • 1 high power item and 1-2 low power items – SAFE
  • More than 1 high power items – UNSAFE
  • 1 high power item and 3 low power items - UNSAFE 

For the most accurate information to use in the home or Scout meeting place, check out the home appliance ratings guidance provided by Electrical Safety First. 

Items with high power

  • Kettle
  • 4 slice toaster
  •  Hair dryer
  • Iron
  • Microwave
  • Dishwasher
  • Washing machine
  • Heater

Items with low power

  • Mobile phone
  • Gaming console
  • TV
  • Electric blanket
  • Lamp
  • Computer monitor
  • Laptop
  • Fridge

Reflection

This activity was all about using extension leads safely. How many had thought about this topic before? Were there any items where the power levels surprised you?  

Remember, never overload an extension lead by plugging in appliances that together will exceed the maximum current rating stated for the extension lead. This could cause the plug in the wall socket to overheat and possibly cause a fire. Additionally, only use one socket extension lead per socket and never plug an extension lead into another extension lead (daisy-chaining). Why do you think these are all unsafe and create a fire risk?

How can you check if your appliances are safe to use with an extension lead? How will this change what you and your family do at home or what we do at Scouts? 

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.

Active games

The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Contact games and activities

Make sure everyone understands what contact is acceptable, and monitor contact throughout the activity.

Safety alert/information for this specific activity

Daisy-chaining - Connecting multiple extension cords together can lead to overheating and significantly increase the risk of fire. Always use a single extension lead that is properly rated for the total load of your equipment.

Coiled extension leads - Always fully uncoil extension leads before use. Using them while coiled can cause them to overheat, potentially melting the cable and creating a serious fire hazard.

  • Ensure the space is set up in a way that is accessible for everyone to move around it safely.
  • Encourage everyone to move around the space in a way that is appropriate for all. 
  • If anyone struggles with relay part this activity, they could take on another role, such as the electrical safety checker.
  • If needed, let people be work in a pair to make sure everyone’s supported in taking part in the activity. A young leader could join a group to help people to take part, too.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Cubs Fire Safety Activity Badge
Scouts Fire Safety Activity Badge

Most household extension leads can handle up to 3,000 watts total. If the combined wattage of plugged-in appliances goes above that, it could overheat and cause a fire. 

Encourage the young people to take some time at home to check their own extension leads with an adult and count how many items are plugged in. If you are unsure if it is safe or not, you can use ESF’s Socket Overload Calculator.