Electric blanket testing session atCouncil offices

Home Accident Prevention Groups, with funding from the Electrical Safety Council, are holding an Electric Blankets Testing Roadshow inthe Bann Gallery at the Coleraine Borough Council offices on Wednedsay, October 16 from 10am to 4pm.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Oct 2013, 07:08 BST

Nearly three-quarters of electric blankets tested by Home Accident Prevention groups (HAP) last year failed safety checks.

HAP Coleraine is now urging all electric blanket owners to have their blankets tested regularly.

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A total of 1,194 blankets were tested across the country from September – November 2012. Of these blankets, 870 (73 per cent) failed the tests because of: faulty/damaged enclosures (which insulate the heating elements); faulty power cords; no overheat protection; or, faulty controllers. In 2011, the failure rate in similar safety testing events was around 60 per cent.

The majority of people who had blankets tested were over the age of 60. Many of those with faulty blankets were given a replacement or a voucher towards the cost of a new one. Get your blanket tested regularly - at least every three years and replace it after 10 years.