Winter safe

Published

Stay safe as you keep warm this winter - see our top tips and video.

As cooler weather sets in around the country, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has product safety tips to help Australians be more aware of how they can avoid burns, injury and death while trying to stay warm.

Top winter product safety tips:

  1. Never use boiling water to fill your hot water bottle and replace it as soon as it starts to look cracked or worn. See our hot water bottle safety video below.
  2. Only buy wheat bags or other heat packs that come with clear heating instructions, and never overheat your bag as this could cause the bag to ignite and start a fire.
  3. Download the free iPhone or Android Recalls Australia app to see if a winter product you plan to use has been recalled (see tips below).
  4. Before winter starts, carefully check that your electric blankets, hot water bottles and other winter items are in good condition and have not been recalled – and if the goods have been recalled return them to the store for refund or remedy. See tips on checking recalls below.
  5. Children’s clothing with a ‘low fire danger’ label is still flammable so always keep children away from open heat sources.

Video: Hot water bottles - The hidden dangers

This safety video outlines the dangers behind hot water bottles if they are used incorrectly.

Checking for recalls

There are a few ways you can check for and stay up to date with Australian product safety recalls. You can:

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