Do you know how safe your electrical products are?

This is the question that Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service is asking during Register My Appliance Week this week.

The authority is reminding householders throughout the county to check their homes for any unregistered appliances that may need to be registered.

During recent government research, it was revealed that 49 per cent of people have never registered their products and domestic appliances used in everyday activities such as cooking or washing laundry.

Station Manager Steve Ratcliffe said: "In 2020 Derbyshire attended 68 fires caused by electrical appliances, and whilst not all of these could have been avoided, making sure your appliance is registered will certainly reduce your risk.

"Registering your appliance means you’ll be notified if there’s ever a product recall that may affect its safety, ensuring you never use a product that may cause fire." 

He went on: "It is also vital that any product is installed and used according to the instructions to minimise the risk of an accident happening. If you think there may be a problem with an electrical appliance that you own, always unplug it and contact the manufacturer or a qualified appliance repair technician." 

Even though the majority of electricals in homes will be safe, the fire service say it is still important to check regularly to make sure no electricals are subject to recall and that white goods are not in the way of escape routes. This means that if they should catch fire, they won’t block any exits from buildings. 

To register appliances, go to registermyappliance.org.uk to ensure all electricals, both old and new, are safe. 

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