ALMOND VALLEY MSP SUPPORTS ELECTRICAL SAFETY FIRST CAMPAIGN

ALMOND VALLEY MSP SUPPORTS ELECTRICAL SAFETY FIRST CAMPAIGN

Around three quarters of fires in Scottish homes are caused by electricity – with most linked to electrical appliances. That’s why Angela Constance MSP is supporting Electrical Safety First – the leading consumer safety charity – and its new campaign entitled Do It Now.

It aims to encourage people to register their electrical items, to ensure they can be easily contacted if they have bought a recalled product.

“Many electrical products are recalled because they can lead to fire or electric shock – presenting a serious threat to life and property”, adds Ms Constance.

“And with the low (just 10-20%) success rate of recalls, there could potentially be thousands of recalled items still in Scottish homes.”

Since 2007, 559 recall notices have been issued for electrical products, yet Electrical Safety First’s research found that only 21% of Scots always register their electrical goods.

“These statistics are particularly disturbing when you realise that over four fires each week are caused by white goods, such as fridges and tumble-dryers, alone”, notes Wayne Mackay, Deputy Public Affairs Manager at Electrical Safety First. “Registering your product is essential in helping manufacturers to contact you rapidly if there is a known problem, or a recall of a product. It takes just minutes to do but it could save your life. And to make things even simpler, we have produced a short guide which offers a quick and easy three step guide to product registration and some straightforward white goods safety. 

The guide is supported by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services (SFRS), as David Dourley, its Head of Fire Investigation explains: “We are regularly involved in fires, some of them fatal, which have been caused by faulty electrical appliances. So we’re urging people to protect themselves from these risks by always registering their products.”

This concern is echoed by the MSP for Almond Valley -  “I will be encouraging all my constituents to register their items – and to read Electrical Safety First’s guide. The process will take minutes but the benefits can last a lifetime by saving lives - and homes.”

ENDS

Electrical Safety First’s ‘An Easy Guide to Product Registration’ can be downloaded for free from https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/what-we-do/campaigns/white-good-safety/

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