1. Green Document on Fire Study for Tumble Dryers
61(Busan/ITNC)23
October 2018
Additional IT NC input for discussion on tumble dryers for Busan, Plenary Meeting
The following document is to anticipate to the Secretary the IT NC presentation on fire study for tumble dryers
for a discussion at the TC 61 Plenary Meeting in Busan.
Green Document on Fire Study for Tumble Dryers
EMEA Product Regulatory Affairs Leader
October, 2018
IEC TC 61 - BUSAN

2. BACKGROUND:
Every year, a huge number of fires occur in residential buildings as a result of electric clothes dryers. These fires result in million dollars in property damage annually, injuries and even deaths. Because of the danger posed by electric clothes dryer fires, action should be taken to reduce their potential harm to consumers.

3. Database Research: US – CPSC Consumer Product Safety Commission/EPHA:
Highest value within household appliances (cooking appliances excluded)

4. Database Research: US – NFIRS/NFPA (NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION):
Table A shows the type of equipment involved in homes fires involving washers and dryers.
The majority of fires (92%) involve clothes dryers, with 5% involving combination washers and dryers and 4% involving washing machines.
The table also shows that 95% of civilian injuries, 93% of direct property damage, and 67% of civilian deaths are associated with the fires involving clothes dryers.
Data reported in nfpa.org on March 2017

5. Database Research: US – NFIRS/NFPA (NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION):
LEADING FACTORS
The leading factor contributing to the ignition of home fires involving clothes dryers was failure to clean, accounting for one-third (33%) of dryer fires. These fires were associated with half of the clothes dryer fire deaths, as well as 34% of civilian injuries and 26% of direct property damage.
Other leading factors contributing to ignition of dryer fires were mechanical failure or malfunction (28%), electrical failure or malfunction (17%), and heat source too close to combustibles (5%).
Data reported in nfpa.org on March 2017

6. Database Research: US – NFIRS/NFPA (NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION):
Fires involving clothes dryers usually started with the ignition of something that was being dried or was a byproduct (such as lint) of drying. The leading items first ignited clothes dryer fires were dust, fiber, or lint (27%) and clothing (26%) and included unclassified soft goods or wearing apparel (10%), linen (5%), and mattress or bedding (3%).
Similar to fires involving clothes dryers, the leading items first ignited in combination washer/dryers were dust, fiber, or lint (23%), clothing (20%), and appliance housing or casing (17%), with electrical wire or cable insulation a factor in another 8% of fires.
Data reported in nfpa.org on March 2017

7. Database Research: US – NFIRS/NFPA (NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION):
Summary of NFPA data explained before
Data reported in nfpa.org on March 2017

8. Database Research: UK GOVERNMENT FIRE STATISTICS:
LFB Data in :
According to Fire Statistics of Great Britain, the data has been filtered for casualties from accidental fires by source of ignition under «faulty electrical
appliances» and categorized for tumble dryers, washer/dryers, spin dryers and washers as percentage.
The information covers casualties of severness as «Fatality» «Hospital (slight)» «Hospital (severe)» «Precautionary check» «First Aid».
The majority of home fires are resulted from «tumble dryers» (in some years, may sharing the ratio with TVs and cooking categories).

9. Database Research: RAPEX (RAPID ALERT SYSTEM EUROPE):
Fires involving clothes dryers reported into RAPEX system are 8 cases between
2 of them reported to be started with the ignition of lint, 2 of them due to capacitor overheating, 1 of them due to unspecified connector, 2 of them timer overheating and 1 of them due to programmer overheating.
RAPEX is a public available system through which a manufacturer or distributor inform the competent national authorities in charge of receiving and dealing with alerts of dangerous non-food consumer products, about any recalled appliance due to safety related issues.
RAPEX contains only data about appliances recalled from the markets. No other data are included.

10. RATIONALE – WHY?
Electric clothes dryers have a high-wattage heating element that is used to heat the air entering the dryer. Typical heating element temperatures can reach between 250˚ C and 400˚ C. The heating element is often not insulated, and in many models of clothes dryers, all that separates the heating element and the open cabinet is a thin piece of sheet metal.
High power of heating elements and power rating of dryers (around 4-5 kWatts) are always posing a high safety risk related with fire.

11. RATIONALE – WHY?
Lint is intended to remain in the airflow path of the clothes dryer because of the negative pressure system in the dryer. Regardless of this intention, however, some lint may escape the airflow path and accumulate on internal cabinet areas. Lint can also accumulate in the clothes dryer exhaust vent.

12. PROPOSAL:
We consider that this issue shall be urgently addressed in IEC standard part 2-11 related to tumble dryers.
Since WG40 «Fires on dishwashers and other wet household appliances» is currently focusing on dishwasher fires. Due to the urgency of the matter on tumble dryer fires, we consider that creation of an Ad-Hoc Working Group (or Project Team) under TC 61, to deal specifically with fire hazards on tumble dryers, is strongly reccomended in order to have more efficient and fast solution.