MPs slam tumble dryer company Whirlpool over attitude to safety
MPs today slammed tumble dryer company Whirlpool for its attitude to safety and its use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
A report by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee declared it “astonishing” that four years on from Whirlpool revealing defects in its tumble-dryers that as many as 800,000 defective machines could still be present in people’s homes.
The defective machines were sold under brands such as Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline.
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The report welcomed the recall of Whirlpool’s defective machines, announced in July, but said it took “far too long” for that decision to be reached.
The MPs also slammed Whirlpool’s use of NDAs and criticised the company’s “efforts to deflect the concerns of safety organisations and customers rather than focussing on practical steps to address the safety problems”.
The report also criticised Whirlpool’s response to the Grenfell fire disaster which killed 72 people.
The Grenfell inquiry found that the fire is likely to have started in a Whirlpool fridge-freezer on the fourth floor of the block.
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Whirlpool suggested that the fire could have been started by a cigarette falling from a higher floor and entering the window of the flat.
The report said “its [Whirpool’s] contention that the Grenfell Tower fire might have been caused by a stray cigarette is improbable and questions whether it takes its safety responsibilities seriously”.
Committee chair Rachel Reeves said: “Whirlpool’s response to fixing safety flaws in its tumble-dryers has too often owed more to PR management than to taking the practical steps to make its machines safe for customers.
“Whirlpool has failed to live up to the duties it owes to its customers. Whirlpool’s prime obligation was to fix the safety issues with its tumble-dryers rather than in engage in disgraceful tactics such as using NDAs to silence customers who have been the victim of fires involving its products.”
Jeff Noel, vice President of Whirlpool, said: “People’s safety is our top priority, which is why Whirlpool welcomes the report by the BEIS Select Committee to raise awareness of ongoing safety improvements in the UK.
“Through our ongoing campaign, we have resolved this potential safety issue – which concerns tumble dryers produced by the previous owner of the company – for more than 1.75m people. This is up to five times the average success rate for a product recall in the UK.
“Please contact us immediately if you still own an affected tumble dryer and haven’t already had it replaced or modified.”