Potential immersion heater issue (just been on BBC News)...

moonrakerz

This was a truly horrific incident - but please don't get carried away with it.

The media have latched on to this and made a huge story out of this, aided by a lovely photograph of the child involved.
"Three and a half million homes at risk!!" the stories read - this is nothing but mindless scaremongering aimed at selling a few more newspapers !

There appears to have been a similar incident in Cornwall 5 years ago, so we have had two deaths in 5 years in 3.5 million homes. In risk analysis terms this is incredibly low risk. Two people are killed every year by lightning in the UK; incredibly, four people die every year as a result of accidents whilst putting their trousers on !
There are far more risky things to worry about that boiling water coming through your bedroom ceiling.
If you want to worry about something look at :-
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/SearchRes.asp?term=cause+of+death&x=15&y=9

Canucklehead

moonrakerz wrote: »

This was a truly horrific incident - but please don't get carried away with it.

The media have latched on to this and made a huge story out of this, aided by a lovely photograph of the child involved.
"Three and a half million homes at risk!!" the stories read - this is nothing but mindless scaremongering aimed at selling a few more newspapers !

There appears to have been a similar incident in Cornwall 5 years ago, so we have had two deaths in 5 years in 3.5 million homes. In risk analysis terms this is incredibly low risk. Two people are killed every year by lightning in the UK; incredibly, four people die every year as a result of accidents whilst putting their trousers on !
There are far more risky things to worry about that boiling water coming through your bedroom ceiling.
If you want to worry about something look at :-
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/SearchRes.asp?term=cause+of+death&x=15&y=9

Yes indeed very rare.

How easy to prevent though?

Corgi Guy.

moonrakerz

Canucklehead wrote: »

Yes indeed very rare.

How easy to prevent though?

Corgi Guy.

Easy to prevent, yes.

But how many people would be injured/killed checking all 3.5 million immersion heaters/water tanks/lofts ? That must be factored into the equation.

Canucklehead

moonrakerz wrote: »

Easy to prevent, yes.

But how many people would be injured/killed checking all 3.5 million immersion heaters/water tanks/lofts ? That must be factored into the equation.

If the property has gas central heating then the CORGI could check during the annual boiler/gas appliance service.

Corgi Guy