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E-cigarettes: an evidence update <br /> <br />84 <br /> <br />2) The official reporting statistics for the UK [155] do not specifically report EC as a <br />cause of fire. There were 2,360 accidental fires between April 2013 and March 2014 <br />where the source of ignition was “smokers’ materials” causing 80 fatalities and 673 non - <br />fatal casualties. Additionally, there were 3 ,700 fires from faulty appliances and electrical <br />leads causing 19 fatalities and 820 non-fatal casualties. It is not clear what proportion of <br />these were caused by EC. <br /> <br />Regulations covering chargers and quality standards of production could help reduce <br />the risk of fire and explosion in EC. An unpublished Department for Business, <br />Innovation and Skills (BIS) funded market surveillance exercise in 2013/14 found that <br />six out of 17 EC had no instructions for charging, and that eight out of 17 EC did not <br />have a charging cut-off device and therefore did not meet the requirements of BS EN <br />62133:2013 'Safety requirements for portable sealed secondary cells and batteries for <br />use in portable devices'4. It seems likely that the risk of fire and electrical fault is similar <br />to other domestic electrical products, indicating that EC should be subject to the same <br />guidelines and safety mechanisms. <br /> <br />Summary of findings <br />There is a risk of fire from the electrical elements of EC and a risk of poisoning from <br />ingestion of e-liquids. These risks appear to be comparable to similar electrical goods <br />and potentially poisonous household substances. <br /> <br />Policy implications <br />o The risks from fire or poisoning could be controlled through standard regulations for <br />similar types of products, such as childproof containers (contained within the TPD <br />but which are now emerging as an industry standard) and instructions about the <br />importance of using the correct charger. <br /> <br />o Current products should comply with current British Standard operating standards. <br /> <br />o Records of EC incidents could be systematically recorded by fire services. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />4 BIS Funded Market Surveillance Exercise 2013/14. The Electrical Safety of Electronic Cigarettes and the Labelling of E- <br />liquids. Lancashire County Council. Unpublished report. <br />