Filtern
Erscheinungsjahr
- 2010 (1) (entfernen)
Dokumenttyp
Sprache
- Deutsch (1)
Referierte Publikation
- nein (1)
Backgrouund:For more than 10 years the Federal Institute
for Risk Assessment (BfR) and its predecessor
institutes have been striving to reduce the risk of poisoning
from lamp oil by raising awareness of the hazards.
In most of these accidents children drank directly
from the unsafe oil lamps, which are mostly in the reach
of the children. Therefore, a European standard was
published in 2003 (DIN EN 14059: Decorative oil
lamps – Safety requirements and test methods) on the
initiative of BfR, which stipulates safety requirements
and test methods for safe oil lamps for ornamental purposes.
However, manufacturers and distributors have so
far failed to develop childproof oil lamps for use in
homes and gardens or place such lamps on the European
market. To protect the children, proposals have been
made for an easy construction of child-safe burners.
Method: Out of concern for children's health the BAM
Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing
(BAM), with the support of BfR, has come up with a
design study for a childproof burner for lamp oils. This
is a very simple and low-cost design that can be constructed
without any major technical outlay. Existing
lamps can be retrofitted. The burners are designed in
such a way that children can no longer open and drink
from the oil lamps. It is also much more difficult for
them to access the wick. The BAM, the responsible
public agency, makes this design available to manufacturers
and distributors free of charge on the Internet.
Manufacturers can then incorporate it into their own
marketable products thereby considerably increasing
the safety of their products in line with the Product
Safety Act. Results: The BAM and BfR activities
should be seen more particularly against the backdrop
that the actual share of less dangerous substitutes for
lamp oils containing biodiesel, mineral oil or coconut
oil is quite small, but will increase in the future with a
new legislation. Conclusion: The still existing gap
between dangerous paraffin lamp oils and their safe
substitutes can be tightened by constructive measures.
The suggested "public open" low-cost design for ornamental
lamps can effectively protect children from
poisoning.