Free electric blanket testing

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Renfrewshire Council is calling on anyone age 55 or over, or with a disability, who lives or works in Renfrewshire to take up their free electric blanket safety check.

Now that Winter has left us and Spring is here, Renfrewshire Council’s Trading Standards staff are urging people to get their blankets checked before they pack them away for the summer by offering them free checks, with the option to have them picked up and delivered back to their doorstep free of charge. Those eligible have until Friday 19 May, 2006 to get their blankets to the Renfrewshire Council Trading Standards Service for checking.

Domestic electric blankets, 10 years old or more, are responsible for 99% per cent of fires caused by faulty electric blankets in the UK. With more than 5000 fires per year caused by old or damaged blankets senior citizens are most at risk.

Gilbert Wilson, Head of Consumer Services at Renfrewshire Council Environmental Services Department, said :“The national figures for electric-blanket fires are alarming. We want to give our disabled and senior citizens’ the opportunity to have their electric blankets checked before putting them away for summer. As one of the few councils that offer free collection and delivery of the blankets as part of the service, we are ensuring that these safety checks are accessible to those most in need, such as those living in more remote areas or with mobility problems.”

Key danger signs, which should cause you to have your electric blanket checked or replaced are:

• If the blanket displays the old BEAB safety mark (a circle with the words “British Electrotechnical Approvals Board Conforms To B.S. 3456” inside it and a heart shape in the centre) - this means it is more than 10 years old and will not comply with the latest safety standard
• The fabric is worn or frayed
• The tie-tapes are damaged or missing
• The flex is worn or damaged
• Any connections at the plug or controls are loose
• The heating wires have been damaged or displaced. To check, hold the blanket up to the light. Wires should be evenly spaced and should not touch each other anywhere
• There are scorch marks anywhere

Renfrewshire Council’s trading standards staff advise that you should always buy new, as second hand blankets may not be safe. Buyers should look out for the new BEAB Mark (simply a rectangular box with the word “BEAB” in capitals), and an overheating protection system which cuts the power off if the blanket starts overheating. All new UK blankets have this safety feature.

A Trading Standards Service spokesperson said: “People should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. The switch/heat control should hang freely, and the electric flex must not be twisted across the blanket or tucked under the mattress or covers. An underblanket should be kept flat, and never used as an overblanket. Blankets should never be used if they are wet, soiled, or creased. They should not be switched on to dry them out. Never use a hot water bottle and an electric blanket together. These are basic safety conditions that will help avoid fires and potential injury, or even death.”

To have an electric blanket checked, or for further information, contact Renfrewshire Council’s Trading Standards Service on 0141 840 3184 or email nicky.gray@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Press Release: Tuesday 9 May 2006