Death-trap law limited

Press, 24 June 1978, Page 7

Death-trap law limited

Wellington reporter Old refrigerators can be death traps, and the law is powerless to make them safer. This was the conclusion reached after a check of the safety standards for domestic and industrial refrigerators, after the recent death of a small Auckland boy when trapped in an old refrigerator. Safety in domestic electric refrig-raters and food freezers is governed by New Zealand Standard No. 2167, authorised in 1967. This superceded an earlier standard of 1948. A new standard was considered necessary because of the increasing complexity cf units and their components over the two decades. The 1967 standard specifies that “To prevent accidental suffocation of anyone shut in the appliance, the doors shall be capable of being opened from the inside. “Where more than one! i door or lid . . . has to be) I opened to gain access to a) compartment exceeding two cubic feet in capacity, the! doors shall be hinged on the) same side to facilitate open-1 ing from within should the) need arise.” These fairly tough safety; requirements are still J thought to be adequate, bur. they could not be made re-) trospective for units already) in service. Thus, many old!

Wellington reporter units will not meet these requirements. Old refrigerators can be The Standards Association death traps, and the law is recommends that anyone powerless to make them with a refrigerator should safer. make sure it meets the This was the conclusion safety standards. If they fell reached after a check of the short then a danger exists, safety standards for domes- Safety in industrial units tic and industrial refrigera- of more than 30kW is more tors, after the recent death complex but more readily of a small Auckland boy met. It is governed by a when trapped in an old re- new standard authorised this frigerator. year — No. 5235. Safety can Safety in domestic electric also be jeopardised from a refrig-rators and food number of mechanical and freezers is governed by New chemical problems and a Zealand Standard No. 2167, strict safety code exists for authorised in 1967. This such units. superceded an earlier stand- Children are at risk mainly ard of 1948. with old domestic refrigeraA new standard was con- tors. Anyone owning an old sidered necessary because of refrigerator, or buying a the increasing complexity cf second-hand one, should enunits and their components sure that its door meets the over the two decades. 1967 safety requirements, The 1967 standard speci- otherwise it could be a death ties that “To prevent acci- trap for small children.