February 17, 2006
2006-08
The present communiqué is a follow-up to Fire Marshal’s Communiqué 2005-20,
issued on July 18, 2005, which dealt with defective compact fluorescent light
bulbs.
The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) and the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)
continue to receive occasional reports of compact fluorescent light bulb
failures that involve smoking, melting and/or charring of the bulb. This
phenomenon, known to occur with a small percentage of compact fluorescent bulbs
as they near their end-of-life date, has been reported to various agencies,
including the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and Underwriters
Laboratories. To date, no fires resulting directly from this type of failure
have been reported to the OFM. However, the OFM continues to monitor these
occurrences.
The Electrical Safety Authority, the agency having jurisdiction over electrical
products sold in Ontario, is at the initial stages of working with the CSA and
relevant committees to establish compact fluorescent light bulb requirements
that would eliminate the possibility of smoking, melting and/or charring of the
bulb to occur as the bulb nears its end of life.
In the meantime, the OFM asks that fire departments continue to report compact
fluorescent light bulb failures to:
Trevor Bain, Manager of Operational Support
Fire Investigations Services
Office of the Fire Marshal
2284 Nursery Road
Midhurst, Ontario
L0L 1X0
The reports should be in writing and include the make and model of the bulb, a
brief description of the incident, contact information, and, if possible, the
actual defective bulb. The OFM will examine all compact fluorescent light bulbs
received and will subsequently forward them to the ESA.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs offer an energy efficient alternative to
incandescent light bulbs but they may have restricted applications. Instructions
on product usage are generally listed on the packaging and will vary from one
product to the next. The OFM recommends following all manufacturers’
instructions and using approved products that have been purchased from a
reputable retailer. Please visit the ESA Web site at www.esasafe.com/consumer/apr-003.php?s=39
for information on identifying electrical products that have been approved for
use in Ontario.
Disponible en français
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