170 dangerous electric blankets found by Nottingham County Council tests

Dangerous Electric Blankets
60% of all electric blankets tested in the county were found to be unsafe. Credit: Nottingham County Council

More than 150 electric blankets have been deemed unsafe by Nottinghamshire County Council - and some of the dangerous blankets tested were found to be more than 50 years old.

282 electric blankets were tested at events in Cotgrave, Newark and Retford last week.

The council also found most of the unsafe blankets were more than 10 years old.

Here's 10 signs your blanket may not be safe to use:

  • Scorch marks

  • Fraying fabric

  • Exposed elements

  • Creasing or folding

  • Soiling

  • Damp patches

  • Tie tapes damaged or missing

  • Worn flex

  • Loose connections

  • An old BEAB safety mark (a round symbol) – this means it is more than ten years old.

The council warns you shouldn't just throw the blankets away but take them to a household waste and recycling centre.

They are holding their next blanket testing event on Monday 2 December at Ashfield Library.

If your blanket is found to be dangerous, the council say they'll replace it with a new one.

Unsafe electric blankets Credit: Nottingham County Council

Councillor Gordon Wheeler, Deputy Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: "If you or someone you know owns and uses an electric blanket, don’t delay spending just a few minutes checking it for the key signs of wear.

“Your blanket doesn’t have to meet all of the 10 points listed above to mean it needs replacing – even just having one of these signs of wear means that your blanket shouldn’t be used any further."

"We have seen a number of fatal house fires in Nottinghamshire caused by electric blankets"

He added: “I would like to take the opportunity to thank our colleagues at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service for their support in offering these three events.

“Sadly, over the last few years we have seen a number of fatal house fires in Nottinghamshire caused by electric blankets, so remember, it only takes a few minutes to check yours or to book an appointment to come along and get it tested.”

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