DHR urges families to remember safety when keeping warm this winter
Thanks to a smoke alarm, in October 2003 a middle Georgia family of five escaped a fire in their home caused by a space heater placed too close to combustible materials. Three children, ages four, five and nine, from Rome, NY were not so lucky during the fall of 2003 when a heater placed too close to their bed, ignited. When was the last time you checked your smoke alarm battery or used a space heater?
As weather grows colder and staying warm becomes a priority in most homes, the Department of Human Resources urges Georgians to think safety this winter.
"It is questions like this that every Georgia family should ask themselves this and every year when it beings getting cold," said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., director of the DHR Division of Public Health. "Safety is an issue that is too important to overlook; heaters can be dangerous. They cause several thousand fires and several hundred deaths every year."
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), last fall and winter, at least 51 deaths occurred due to fires started by heaters and unclean fireplaces. In recent years, CPSC has reported that more than 25,000 fires resulting in more than 300 deaths were caused by electric and kerosene heaters and unclean chimneys.
In addition to fires, other potential hazards include explosions, electrocutions, indoor air pollution, carbon dioxide poisoning and burns. In order to curtail these potential hazards, DHR's Injury Prevention Section recommends the following safety precautions when using space heaters and fireplaces:
General home safety recommendations
• Equip your home with at least one smoke alarm on each floor and a carbon-monoxide (CO) alarm in the hallway near each sleeping area. Be sure the CO alarm meets the requirements of the current U: standard 2034 or the IAS 6-96 standard.
• Keep at least one dry-powder operative, ABC-type fire extinguisher in the home at all times and keep areas around heat sources free of papers, trash and other combustible materials.
• Develop a family fire escape plan before fire occurs. Practice the plan and make sure all members of the family can execute the plan.
• Have annual safety checks of all heating equipment and appliances.
General recommendations for space heaters
• When buying a space heater, make sure it has been tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to ensure that it meets basic safety standards
• Read and follow all directions that come with the heater and follow them to the letter since they are there for your safety. Share safety instructions and directions with the rest of the family.
• Use a heater with a guarded heating element and that is the correct size for the intended area you wish to heat. Do not place the heater close to combustible materials such as drapes, or beds.
• Place the heater in an area of low traffic where children and pets cannot touch them. Do not place heaters in elevated positions such as counter tops; always place them on the floor.
• Never leave a space heater on while you are asleep. Never store flammable liquids near space heaters.
Kerosene heaters
• Never use gasoline in a kerosene heater. Kerosene should never be stored in a container that has had gasoline in it because the gas increases the flammability of kerosene.
• Only use 1-K grade kerosene in kerosene heaters. To ensure proper grade of Kerosene, only purchase from dealers that can verify the correct grade of the kerosene.
• Never fill the fuel tank of the heater past the full mark and never refuel or add fuel while the heater is operating or hot. It is best to refuel heaters outdoors after they have cooled adequately.
• Be sure to place kerosene heaters in a well ventilated area. In rooms that are too small or poorly ventilated, Carbon Monoxide build up can cause unsafe breathing conditions.
• In case of flare up or fire from a kerosene heater, do not use a blanket or water to extinguish the flames. Try to turn off the heater but if this is unsuccessful, leave the area and call 911.
Gas space heaters
• Always have a professional install and inspect your gas heater and ventilation system according to local codes. Improper ventilation can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
• All gas-fired heaters made after 1983 should have oxygen depletion sensors (ODS) that detect depleting oxygen levels in the area of use. If carbon monoxide levels get too high, the ODS will shut off the heater to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Older heaters without ODS safety devices should be placed in well ventilated areas. If the pilot light has gone out and you smell gas, do not attempt to light the pilot light. Open windows to ventilate excess gas that has accumulated and call a serviceman immediately.
• Propane gas is heavier than air unlike natural gas that most gas companies use. If you suspect a leak of a propane gas heater, do not use electrical switches in the area and use a neighbor's phone to call for service. Any spark can cause an explosion in the area of the leak.
Portable electric space heaters
• Do not use portable heaters in wet or moist places such as bathrooms unless specified for that purpose. Water damage or corrosion to the heater can cause shock and fire hazards.
• Do not hide cords beneath carpets or rugs. Overheating of the cord can cause a fire. Only use extension cords when necessary as some extension cords are not able to handle the wattage of certain heaters and can over heat. When extension cords are necessary, make sure the cord is marked #14 or #12 A WG. This number tells the thickness of the wire. The lower the number the thicker the wire. Only use cords marked with the label of an independent testing laboratory such as U.L. or E.T.L.
• Be sure the cord fits snuggly into the socket and unplug them if the cord feels hot near the outlet. Warm cords may be defective and warm outlets should be checked by a qualified electrician or repairman.
• If the heater is plugged into an outlet protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) and the GFCI trips, don't assume the GFCI is broken. The GFCI protects areas where leakage currents can cause severe shock. In this situation, have your heater checked.
Wood burning heater
• During instillation, building codes and manufacturer's instructions must be followed closely. Do not buy wood stoves that are not certified as meeting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission standards.
• Check chimneys and stove pipes frequently during regular use for creosote build-up and have them cleaned annually. Creosote is residue that builds up in chimneys and cause fire.
• During cleaning, let ashes cool thoroughly before disposing of them. Do not burn anything other than the proper fuel.
Fireplaces
• Every fire place should have a non-flammable gate or guard in front to shield carpet from sparks from the fire. Only proper equipment should be used to handle a burning fire.
• When starting a fire, avoid using flammable liquids such as lighter fluid. Leakage of these types of liquids can cause explosions or flare ups. Do not store wood or paper too close to the fireplace.
• When cleaning fireplaces or disposing of ashes, let the ashes cool thoroughly before disposing of them and use non-flammable containers to hold ashes. Make sure your fireplace is cleaned and inspected by a professional annually prior to use.
