Fire Hazards in Children’s Bedrooms
Nowadays, children are inevitably surrounded by electronics. If it be a tablet, mobile phone, laptop, hair straighteners, or gaming console, children have lots of electrical items in their bedrooms. And with this ever growing number of electrical items, the higher risk there will be of electrical fires.
Research from leading charity Electrical Safety First found that three in four children in the UK have a potential a fire hazard in their room and on average, has 10 electrical items in their bedroom. They also found that 53 percent of children admitted to leaving their phone, tablet or laptop charging on their bed, 38 percent left their phones charging under their pillow overnight and 27 percent had used an unbranded, cheap charger – this being very dangerous considering the hazards of counterfeit electrical products.
Now, with the fire hazards that present themselves in children’s bedrooms, fire chiefs are warning parents to stay alert to the dangers their children could be facing. Neil Fenwick, head of community safety at Essex fire service said, “Electrical devices are a major cause of fires across the county and many of them are preventable.”
Fenwick also advised to “Always make sure that you fit, and regularly test, your smoke alarm. Smoke alarms provide a vital warning that a fire has broken out, giving you time to get safely out.” To see some real life stories of smoke alarms saving lives, check out our previous post on the importance of smoke alarms.
Fenwick also urged “people to take the time to ensure their electrical appliances are safe and that they never overload plug sockets.” Be sure to do basic checks to keep your family safe: unplug appliances when not in use – especially when you go to bed, don’t charge any devices overnight, never charge devices on your bed, under a pillow or anywhere else they are likely to overheat, and always check wires for any signs of wear or fraying. These simple checks could be the difference between your children and your whole family staying safe from electrical fires and a fire breaking out in your home.
Post Source: Maldon Standard
Photo Source: Freepik
