Keeping safe and warm in winter

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Our European winters can be very cold. Cold can kill people. Those most at risk are very old people, babies and young children. They can die from hypothermia. This occurs when the body temperature drops below 35C. One way of avoiding hypothermia is to have a constant temperature in the house of 20C. We all depend on heating appliances to keep us warm. These include gas, electric and solid fuel fires and stoves, central heating systems and whole-house warming. Sometimes we can choose the method of heating we want. We can consider things like price, running costs, safety and appearance. We also choose the heating that is best for our own situation and appliances we know we can depend on. Sometimes, we cannot choose. If we live in a rented flat or a bed-sit, we have to make the best of the heating that is already there. There are always two special problems: The heating appliance is tied to the power that makes it work. This may be natural or bottled gas, electricity, oil or solid fuel. You may need an expert to install the heating. You are dealing not only with a product but also with a service. In some countries there are laws to make sure appliances are fitted correctly. In the United Kingdom it is actually against the law for anyone without the right technical qualifications to fit a gas appliance. CORGI (the Confederation of Registered Gas Installers) controls the qualification. So throughout the appliance's lifetime, you will have a product and a service that depend on each other. One is no use without the other. To remain safe all appliances, and the power that supplies them, will need to be checked regularly, maintained and repaired safely. What are the main injuries involving heating appliances? In general, all appliances give us a welcome. They look good as well as keep us warm. A well heated home fills us with messages of cosiness, happiness and security. When we neglect, misuse, or do not understand the heating appliances we use, the result can be injuries or even death. Burns Clothes and furnishings can catch fire if they touch radiant electric or gas fires, or a traditional open fire. These are still widely used in some Member States like Ireland. A little girl in a pretty party dress, an elderly Granny in a nightdress, a rack of washing put to dry in front of a fire, are all accidents waiting to happen. Other accidents happen because radiators, towel rails and storage heaters are too hot. None of these should be above a temperature of 43C. An adult can touch tand withdraw a finger, a hand or a foot within a second. An elderly person or a child reacts much more slowly. They can take four seconds to pull away. This can have serious results. Shock You should always keep water and electrical appliances well apart. If you do not follow this rule there is a danger of getting an electric shock. This is particularly true in bathrooms. That is why only shaving sockets are allowed in bathrooms. Injury When you remove a plug from its wall socket you should not leave it lying on the floor. Someone could tread on it and hurt their foot. Poisoning With gas there is a different kind of very serious problem. There is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from the fumes and by-products of combustion. This can happen if appliances are not properly ventilated or regularly serviced. What can rules and regulations do to help prevent these sorts of accidents? European level The General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) requires that only safe products be placed on the market. There are also special Directives called New Approach Directives for some key product groups like gas and electrical appliances. These Directives give much more detail about essential safety requirements such as how to burn gaseous fuels safely. These take precedence over the GPSD. European standards provide technical details that manufacturers need to produce safe products. A space heater, for example, is made to a European standard called EN 778. This makes sure it has a fan to assist with the dispersal of combustion products. Another good example of a European standard is EN 563. This gives guidance on unintentional contact with hot surfaces National level National, as well as European laws and standards, provide the corner stones for consumer safety. Member States have different ways of dealing with safety. Sweden demands lower temperatures than other States for hot surfaces that can be accidentally touched. Consumers Accident prevention is not just the responsibility of governments, the European Union and those who make and sell our appliances. It is also the responsibility of us the consumer. So what can consumers do? We must take precautions on behalf of those most at risk Old people can be frail, unsteady, and have poor eyesight and loss of co-ordination. They are the most likely to fall over electric wires with extensions trailing around the house. They may touch the hot surfaces of radiators, pipes and stoves to steady themselves. They may get too close to radiant heaters and open fires or breathe in deadly fumes. Babies and young children are curious, lively and have no idea of danger. They may poke little fingers into uncovered electric sockets or chew through wires. They may fiddle with gas ignition or cut themselves on radiators that have welded seams and not rounded edges. We must buy safety devices Your shopping list of essentials must include: smoke alarms carbon monoxide detectors electrical socket covers fixed and anchored fireguards flame-resistant clothing especially nightwear a fire blanket. But there is no substitute for always being on the look out for risky situations. A ten-point plan of practical things you can do - or avoid doing: In general do not mess around with things you do not understand like gas and electricity. You should not try to save money by installing appliances yourself. It is illegal in the case of gas appliances. Nor is it a good idea to use DIY on appliances using other fuels, unless you have special expertise. Check out choices of appliance and fuel well before you need them. Ask how they conform to standards and quality assurance schemes. Watch out for cautions and warnings. Take a look at the advice of consumer organisations in their independent test reports on products and services. Know what to do in an emergency. You need to know when to unplug an electric appliance or turn off mains supplies. You need to know how to report gas leaks. You need to be able to give basic first aid. Know how to recognise telltale signs that something is wrong. Overheating causes a brownish mark on an electric plug or a fishy smell from a cable. Escaping gas has a sulphuric smell. The supplier adds this so that you can detect the presence of natural gas, which has not got any smell. Above all, be suspicious if you have unexplained headaches or sickness. These could be caused by carbon monoxide. Take urgent action. Have appliances regularly serviced by a qualified professional. Get chimneys and flues swept and outlet grilles checked regularly. Have safety devices fitted like carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms. By law all new homes in the UK must now have mains-powered detectors installed. Battery-powered devices need frequent checking. There are still a lot of these around. Never dry or air clothes close to any fire. They could touch the heating elements or fall into flames. Blocking the air vents of convector heaters could cause overheating. Do not be tempted to remove protective guards from radiant heaters. Do supply extra protection if you have people at risk in your family. This could be a firmly- anchored fireguard fixed with childproof catches. Do not buy second hand appliances of any kind from doubtful sources.  This means markets or car boot sales, where sellers can avoid safety laws. It is now the legal responsibility of traders to make sure that second hand goods are safe. This means that you should ask, even a reputable trader, if a qualified person has carried out checks. Remember to ask for the original instruction booklet about safe use, installation and servicing. For an extra feeling of security, there are a number of useful organisations and internet sites to help and guide you such as: The European Consumer Safety Alliance, P.O. Box 75169, 1070 AD Amsterdam, The Netherlands, http://www.ecosa.org Sicher Leben, Ölzeltgasse 3, A-1031 Vienna, Austria, http://www.sicherleben.at/ Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK, www.rospa.org Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft, Kindersicherheit, Heilsbachstrasse 30, 53123 Bonne, Germany