Keep heating safe, especially hot water bottles, this winter

A timely reminder about the proper use of heating products such as hot water bottles, wheat bags and fireplaces has been given by state Consumer Affairs Minister Melissa Horne.
She said it was critical to always read safety labels and use products as directed to prevent serious injury.
Hot water bottles can be dangerous if not used with care.
Ms Horne cited a couple that recently suffered severe burns requiring hospital treatment after a hot water battle they were using in bed exploded.
She said many did not realise how dangerous hot water bottles could be if past their expiry date and should throw them out if they had any doubts.
Also boiling water should not be used to fill them, never leave them on one part of the body for more than 20 minutes, hang them up to dry before re-use and replace the water bottle every year or it looked cracked or worn.
Ms Horne said other heating to stay warm over winter also needed to be checked to ensure they worked properly and safely including cleaning chimneys, checking electric blankets and using wheat bags only as directed.