NEWS Whirlpool’s response to fatal dryer fire questioned


A CORONER in Wales said that the company’s ‘reluctance to digest inquest lessons’ is an ‘obstacle to preventing further deaths’. The Guardian reported on the


inquest into the deaths of Bernard Hender and Doug McTavish, who died after a fire in their flat in Llanrwst, North Wales in October 2014. Coroner David Lewis recorded a ‘narrative verdict’, ruling that the fire was ‘caused by an electrical fault in the door switch of a Hotpoint dryer’. He later published a report for the ‘prevention of future deaths’, issued to Whirlpool, who produce Hotpoint machines. In his report, Mr Lewis raised concerns that evidence given by witnesses called by Whirlpool lawyers was both ‘defensive and dismissive’, adding: ‘The door switch assembly of interest in this case is used in literally hundreds of thousands of appliances manufactured by Whirlpool. I did not emerge from the hearing confident that Whirlpool’s risk assessment processes have fully identified or appreciated the extent of the risk of fire (and its potential consequences).’ Additionally, he noted that


evidence from the company’s retired global product safety director Larry Latack, concerning the use of data ‘from the field’ including fires, was of ‘considerable concern’, stating: ‘I am concerned that the company’s reluctance to place due reliance on information coming forward in this way, and instead to prefer to take advice from itself, represents an obstacle to timely learning and a likely inhibitor to progressive steps which might prevent fires and save lives.’ Mr Latack’s evidence included


the following comment: ‘External experts are not credible sources to make safety decisions for consumers. The most credible person to make a decision on this dryer is the engineer who designed this dryer.’ In recent months, Whirlpool


has faced criticism for its failure to recall up to one million dryers


the company’s obligations under product safety law and immediately enforce a full product recall of all remaining fire-risk tumble dryers in people’s homes. ‘This case is further evidence


that pose a fire risk, and its range of appliances caused ‘three times more’ fires in London than any other manufacturer, according to London Fire Brigade data. The company had until late December to respond and ‘detail what action will be taken’, a spokesperson commenting: ‘We extend our profound condolences to the families and friends of Bernard Hender and Douglas McTavish. Safety is always our number one priority. We treat all incidents extremely seriously and we have a robust process that continuously reviews the safety of all our products. We will carefully review and consider the coroner’s findings in this case.’ Thomas Jervis, representing the


men’s families, stated: ‘The families of Doug and Bernard want to make sure that no other families go through what they have had to and we hope that the coroner’s report will prompt swift and effective action from Whirlpool. We will continue to call for Whirlpool, and other manufacturers, to take action on potentially dangerous white goods and for an effective recall system to be implemented to prevent the devastating consequences of appliance fires.’ Alex Neill, managing director of home products and services for consumer group Which?, said: ‘The coroner’s report exposes the fundamental failings of Whirlpool’s handling of unsafe products. The government should urgently investigate if this is a breach of


that the UK’s product safety regime is simply not fit for purpose and must be reformed, with the creation of a new national body to lead on issues of this nature.’ The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) later reported on the ‘anger’ from MPs after the manufacturer closed its replacement scheme first issued in 2015, in relation to a safety notice for two types of dryers. These dryers, under its Hotpoint,


Indesit, Creda, Proline and Swan brands, could be a fire risk ‘following reports of fires started by excess fluff catching the heating element in the machines’, with devices manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 affected. It originally told customers they could ‘continue to use dryers while waiting for them to receive their safety modification, as long as they were not left unattended’. This advice was changed last


year after the fire service applied pressure, with Whirlpool now advising owners to ‘unplug the machines and not to use them again until the fault is fixed’, and the closure of the scheme will see it continue to offer free repairs, but end its £50 offer for a replacement machine ‘after demand fell’. The Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee wrote to Whirlpool asking why it has ‘now chosen to end the scheme’, while Which? questioned the decision, Mr Neill stating: ‘It is completely unacceptable that Whirlpool has shut down its replacement scheme for these dangerous tumble dryers. ‘It is irresponsible that despite one million households potentially still using an affected machine Whirlpool seems unwilling to do everything possible to deal with this issue. The Government must step in and force Whirlpool to fully recall the remaining tumble dryers.’


www.frmjournal.com FEBRUARY 2018 11


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