If you have an electric heater in your bathroom - or any other device other than ceiling lights please read this

[Northernlurker]

I'm not going to link to the story I've just read because it's very upsetting but basically there has been a tragic accident which appears to involve electrocution in a bathroom. This isn't the first and it won't be the last so please, please if you have a wall mounted electric heater or anything else in your bathroom LOOK at where it is and regardless of how well it's fixed if it could fall in to the water by any stretch of possibility then please, please MOVE IT or don't use it.

I haven't seen the story but we removed an old fashioned 'glamour' light from the bathroom which had 24 bulbs going round a mirror which has copper casings to hold the bulbs in which unknown to use, were live! It also got so hot you had to stand a foot away to avoid flesh burns on your face. What the old owners were thinking I have no idea!

The regulations on electrics in bathrooms these days are so much better but it's amazing the number of people who put, for example, Halogen bulb lights in their bathrooms not realising that non sealed lights are liable to explode if water hits them. And a shower of glass is not pretty or pleasant especially when naked.

I didn't know that about bulbs. Fortunately our lights are the traditional sort mounted on the ceiling.
I just think that you can never point this risk out too often!

Yes I was once washing down the paintwork in a fit of new year cleaning and dripped the tiniest bit of water on the bulb. I was picking shards of glass out of the wooden toilet seat for quite a while. Luckily I jumped back and didn't get hit!

That'll teach you to wash things!

Indeed - now I send the cleaner up a ladder instead!

God, how sad

poor things

We had our house done up last summer and we had halogen lights in the bathroom ceiling and over the basin. The basin is in an alcove and there is a low arch over it which the lights were sunk into (can't really describe it) so the lights were only about 60cms above the basin.

The bloke doing the work went ballistic and removed the lights without so much as a by your leave! I was furious but had no idea they were actually unsafe. We now have a wired in, illuminated mirror over the basin which is very swish. Had we splashed water a bit too enthusiastically we would have been in big trouble.

The story was front page in the London Standard this week. Very sad story.

My electrician refused to fit any lights that weren't sealed in either of our two bathrooms (I'd wanted halogens).

We have halogen sealed lights in our bathroom downstairs - they cost £2 extra each and last a lot longer too.

our rented house has open halogen lights (one sealed over the shower).
we also have an electric radiator/towel bar.
not sure what i can really do about it. :(

I read this story this morning.... very sad. But who is really silly enough to put an electric heater next to a bath? Such an easily avoided tragedy....

I hate it when this sort of thread (and the comments beneath the article) start laying blame...is that really necessary?

FGS do you think these people don't already feel bad enough?

Why the need to say 'well they were really stupid weren't they'. Generosity of spirit sadly missing here.

Jesus.

How do I know if the halogens are sealed? Are they the ones that are really hard to get out?