RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

February 10 , 2006
DELIGHT AS “KILLER” LIGHTERS TO BE BANNED FROM SALE

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said today that it was overjoyed the European Union is to ban the sale of cigarette lighters that are not child resistant.

The decision is likely to save 20 lives and 1,200 fires a year across the EU caused by children playing with cheap lighters, and save five lives and 220 injuries each year in the UK.

The move follows a meeting of Committee of Member States established under the General Product Safety Directive.

In the United States, where child resistant lighters were introduced in 1995, there has been a 60 per cent reduction in fires, injuries and deaths caused by children under-five.

Sarah Colles, RoSPA Home Safety Adviser, said: “We are overjoyed by the news. It is something we have campaigned for over many years.

“Adding inexpensive child-resistant devices to lighters should making a massive difference in preventing the horrific fires that can devastate families.

“Now we must ensure that the decision is properly enforced so that it has its maximum effect.”

Sources say the European Commission will shortly launch a joint project with member states’ customs and market surveillance authorities to ensure the ban is fully implemented.

RoSPA’s plea for action was supported by Julie-Ann Millar, whose five-year-old son died after his clothes caught fire as he played with a cheap lighter.

Five-year-old Jordan Millar died two months after the accident at his home in Belfast. He had climbed on to a washing machine to retrieve the lighter from a high shelf in August 2004.