If you think it’s a good idea to tuck your kids in bed with a wheat bag this winter, think again.
Fire and fair trading authorities are urging parents not to allow children to use wheat bags as bed warmers and take care when heating in the microwave.
Commissioner of Fire & Rescue NSW, Greg Mullins, said that allowing children to sleep with wheat bags posed a fire safety risk.
“Firefighters have seen a number of fires caused by wheat bags that have started to smoulder after being heated in the microwave and placed under sheets and blankets.
“In a recent incident in Glen Innes, a woman heated two homemade wheatbags in the microwave, then placed them in her bed while she was in the shower. By the time she returned to the bedroom – in the time it took her to have shower – the bedroom was engulfed in flames and 80% of the house was lost in the fire. Had the wheat bag been placed in the bed of a sleeping child, the outcome could have been tragic.”
There have been 34 reported fires caused by wheat bags since January 2011.
“Wheat bags are designed to be used for aches and pains, and that’s what they should be used for. Wheat bags can ignite, and are not designed to replace hot water bottles for warming beds," said Commissioner Mullins.
“Look for wheat bags that are clearly labelled with instructions and follow those instructions. FRNSW recommends heating the wheat bag with a glass of water in the microwave – this will help prevent the wheat bag from drying out or overheating.”
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe said consumers should also be aware of the dangers with plush toys containing wheat.
“These products are available nationally ranging in price from $8 to $20 and in child appealing characters, including a lady bug, cow, duck, tiger, pig, hippo, giraffe and puppy dog,’’ he said.
“There are a number of companies importing such products and they are marketed for children and therefore this is a risk of them being given to children to take to bed to keep them warm. There is a real risk these products could be used contrary to the manufacturers’ instructions.”
Wheat bag safety tips
- Don’t overheat the wheatbag by placing it in the microwave longer than specified by the manufacturer.
- Don’t leave the wheatbag unsupervised in the microwave.
- Don’t let anyone, particularly children or the elderly, sleep with a wheat bag.
- Don’t use the wheat bag to warm your bed up, as it may spontaneously ignite.
- Don’t reheat the wheatbag before it has properly cooled.
- A wheatbag should be cooled down on a non-combustible surface before storing.
* * *
More fire safety information on the safe use of wheat bags is available here.
__small.png)
