News
Almost 250 residents take advantage of free electric blanket safety tests
Posted 18/10/18
Almost 250 residents took advantage of this year鈥檚 electric blankets safety tests provided by听Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards.
Each year the service runs a free electric blanket testing campaign for Warwickshire people aged 50+ in order to protect residents from old and dangerous electric blankets.听
Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said:听
鈥淭his year 28% of all the blankets we tested failed, a lower failure rate than last year and hopefully an indication that fewer people are using very old blankets and are replacing them more regularly.鈥�听
鈥淥ld electric blankets are much more likely to develop faults that can lead to fires and very old ones rarely have the inbuilt safety protection that all modern electric blankets must have.鈥�听
The electric blanket testing campaign has now finished but owners can check the safety of their own electric blankets by looking for the following warning signs:
- 听听听听听听听听 the fabric is worn or frayed
- 听听听听听听听听 there are scorch marks anywhere
- 听听听听听听听听 the tie tapes are damaged or missing
- 听听听听听听听听 the flex is worn or damaged
- 听听听听听听听听 any connections are loose
Remember older blankets in regular use are much more likely to have one or more of the above faults. If your electric blanket is more than 10 years old, industry guidelines suggest you should replace it. An old BEAB safety mark (a round symbol) is an indication that the blanket is more than ten years old.
For more information visit:
Results听
|
Venue |
Tested |
Passed (inc. 4 repairs) |
Failed |
|
Stratford upon Avon |
94 |
61 |
33 |
|
Leamington Spa |
32 |
26 |
6 |
|
Rugby |
32 |
26 |
6 |
|
Kenilworth |
51 |
35 |
16 |
|
Nuneaton |
37 |
30 |
7 |
|
Total |
246 |
178 |
68 |
|
Percentages |
听 |
72% |
28% |
听A collection service was operated for living in rural/isolated locations or who were housebound or disabled.听
Visitors to the test centres also received information and advice on scams and doorstep crime and were able to speak to a representative from Act on Energy, a charity that offers advice on keeping their homes warm and reducing their gas and electricity bills.
听Act on Energy, phone 0800 988 2881 or visit: 听
ENDS听
Photograph: Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety with electric blanket safety testing expert Clive MacDonald of GEMS (SW) Ltd.
