As many of you will be aware I have been taking a keen interest in tealights for many many years. Since my initial report in 1999 and subsequent studies I have endeavoured to monitor and drive the subject through publicity and shear doggedness. I believe I am at last in a position to be able to say that the work has been a success.
There are fewer incidents and deaths as a direct result of tealights burning abnormally and the recalls that have arisen are often as a result of the greater awareness of the tealight issue. There are also electric tealights now available!
The basic product, however, is the same and the DTI failed to initiate any effective safety strategy via retailers so how was the campaign a success?
CONTROLLED, DRIVEN AND TARGETED PUBLICITY:
- Fire services and trading standards accross the UK were well informed and included the issue in their own safety initiatives.
- The media were used to increase public awareness.
- TV makeover programmes and lifestyle magazines were mailed directly when tealights were portrayed dangerously.
- The advertising standards authority were informed and issued conditions for portrayal of tealights.
- Coroners were informed.
- Fire investigators were informed.
I am now in a position, I hope, to let the subject go. It will often be impossible to improve fire safety by design or regulation. When that is the case then shear dogged determination is the only option. I always carry the doctrine in my head "If I do nothing with the knowledge I have and somebody dies. What would any Coroner ask of me?".
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David
ReplyDeleteYour initial research was one of the things that got me really interested in FI; so thank you.
As some may know my MSc dissertation in 2008 expanded your research. I always intended publishing but finally made a start on 3 separate articles for the peer reviewed Fire Safety Journal a couple of days ago. I've got a couple of weeks off work so hope to submit to the Journal soon. Watch this space for updates.
Completely agree with your comment "what would the Coroner ask me" if I do nothing
Mike
Thanks Mike.
ReplyDeleteI must also mention the further work done by:
The Consumers Association - for the DTI
Emma Thain - Strathclyde university
Aro Dirie - Southbank University
Dave and Mike - both your initiatives are commendable and it demonstrates the necessary balance between frontline fire investigators providing vital life safety information that is fed back into science whereby robust academic testing produces verifiable data which in turn requires statutory agencies to act and remove or control fire hazards such as tealight candles in all their modes. The balance of practictioner and academic skills merging is what IFE and other fire investigation associations are all about. The first steip in our scientific methodology simply states (1) Identify the problem - Dave to your credit, your energy ensure the problem was identified and communicated. Paul Carolan
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