PEOPLE in Barnsley are being urged to register their electrical products after it was revealed four fires a week are caused by goods such as washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers.
John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne, urged people to stay safe and is backing plans by charity Electrical Safety First to register electrical appliances so manufacturers and retailers can easily trace and contact consumers to recall a dangerous, substandard, or faulty, item.
He said: “Registering appliances is an easy way to make sure that you aren’t putting yourself or your family in danger of faulty electrical items.
“In the last six years there have been 518 recall notices issued for electrical products but only 10 to 20 per cent of faulty goods are ever returned or repaired meaning there are potentially thousands of unsafe appliances still in use in our homes.
“Disturbingly, registration rates are low and Electrical Safety First’s research has shown three in ten of us are still willing to put ourselves in danger by continuing to use recalled electrical items.”
The charity has been campaigning to establish a centrally-managed product recall database, which would allow consumers to check that the appliances they are using are safe and are calling for a ‘voluntary mark’ to be used by manufacturers of fridges and freezers to demonstrate that they have been made from fire-resistant materials.
