UK Fire and Rescue Services have warned of a “white goods time bomb” in Britain’s homes with faulty home appliances set to cost lives.
Firefighters believe only one in five appliances identified as faulty by the authorities or manufacturers are returned or fixed, putting lives at risk every day. Government statistics still show that around 4,000 fires a year are caused by faulty home products. Washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, cookers and fridge-freezers top the chart put together by Which? Consumer magazine.
London Fire Bridge investigators say there is nearly one fire a day in the capital involving white goods. Following the investigations into fires originating in domestic appliances, in 90% of cases, the fault was caused by the appliance or its electrical supply rather than human error.
On a trawl of second-hand shops, investigators found machines on sale that had been recalled for safety reasons. They say that the current system of recalling faulty devices, such as those involving tumble dyers highlighted by the Daily Mirror in recent weeks, is useless.
Former Watchdog presenter turned consumer champion Lynn Faulds Wood is waiting to hear back from the government on her recommendations for a single, easy-to-check, system.
Currently consumers rely on numerous databases, manufacturers’ notices and media appeals to find out if their machine is a deathtrap.
London Fire Brigade’s Director of Operations Dave Brown said: “While recent years have seen fires in the home steadily falling, fires caused by electrical goods are falling at a much slower rate. We strongly believe a single, publicly accessible register of recalled goods would make all the difference.”
He continued: “Consumers, landlords and second hand retailers would be able to quickly identify faulty appliances and find safety and recall information which could ultimately save lives. We would like the government to act on the recommendations made by Lynn Faulds Wood and make it as easy as possible for consumers to check they are not being put at risk by a faulty white goods time bomb.”
Lynn, who saw the safety recall of more than £10 million in dodgy products during her decade on Watchdog, said: “White goods were in many ways unsafe when I was on Watchdog 30 years ago and it is surprising how many problems people continue to have with them now.”
Images courtesy of London Fire Brigade
About the Author
Neil Wallington is a former British Chief Fire Officer, a Past International President of the Institution of Fire Engineers, and a holder of the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct. He is the author of 17 books on the work of the fire service, and acts as a consultant with extensive experience in the Gulf on a range of projects.
