§ Mr. Spencerasked the secretary of state for Trade and Industry what information he has on the number of people injured or killed each year while using domestic electric lawnmowers.
§ Mr. Howard[pursuant to his replay, 9 June 1986, c. 44]: Annual figures for deaths in the home and garden whilst using electric lawnmowers are:
Number of deaths 1981 5 1982 5 1983 7 1984 2 1985* 7 * Provisional. In 1985 one case involved a connector, one a plug, one a taped joint and four cases involved severed cable. In no case was there any indication of electrical fault in the mower itself.
The numbers of non-fatal accidents involving electric lawnmowers recorded at 20 hospitals in England and Wales participating in the Department's home accidents surveillance system are:
135W
Number of nonfatal accidents 1981 198 1982 106 1983 123 1984 124 1985* 122 *Provisional. Home Accidents Surveillance System is based on a rolling sample of hospitals, hence year to year figures are not directly comparable. It is possible, however, to deduce from these figures that in each year in Britain there are at least 1,700 accidents involving electric lawnmowers and requiring hospital treatment. The majority of injuries are cuts to hands, fingers and thumbs; only a small proportion of casualties—less than 5 per cent.—are admitted for in patient treatment.
§ Mr. Spencerasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation requiring manufacturers to fit all new electric lawnmowers with safety circuit breakers.
§ Mr. Howard[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1986, c. 44]: It would not be appropriate to introduce legislation compelling manufacturers of electric lawnmowers to fit them with a safety circuit breaker. Such devices need to be fitted at the power socket or source of supply. I am anxious to encourage householders to do this to reduce the incidence of death from electrocution as a result of accidents whilst using electric lawnmowers and therefore my officials have been discussing with representatives of the industry, consumer groups and other agencies ways of promoting the use of safety circuit breakers. As a result some suppliers of electrical garden equipment include warning instructions for the purchaser to use a residual current device. The industry has publicised the need to use such devices and a strong sales campaign has been mounted to sell them to households.