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Appliance Fire

Solicitor joins call for plastic-backed fridges and freezers to be removed from all retailers

Product liability solicitor Jill Paterson has supported calls from consumer group Which? for plastic-backed fridges and freezers to be removed from all retailers immediately and for consumers not to buy the appliances after new tests have banned them from being manufactured.

Posted on 12 July 2019

The new tests have stricter standards which require a fridge, freezer or fridge freezer to withstand a naked flame for over 30 seconds. The previous test involved a hot wire being put through a sample backing material of the fridge or freezer and to see if it caught alight. However, as the plastic melted and didn’t ignite, it was deemed safe.
 
In 2018, Which? said an investigation of more than 500 of the most popular refrigeration appliances on the market found that backing material on 45% of them was made of plastic deemed unsafe which they said posed a potential fire risk. Electrical Safety First and the London Fire Brigade have also warned against the dangers of plastic-backed appliances. 
 
Jill Paterson, product liability and consumer safety solicitor from Leigh Day, said:
 

In April 2018 we supported Which? when they called for plastic-backed fridges to be removed from sale after they were found to pose a fire risk according to the consumer group.
 
“We are pleased to see that the new test has resulted in the appliances being banned from manufacture but more needs to be done to ensure that the remaining models are removed immediately from retailers.
 
“It is very concerning that retailers might be able to continue to sell plastic-backed fridges and freezers allowing for consumers to buy these potentially dangerous products.”