How science advice protects UK homes
OPSS scientists identified fire risks in tumble dryers and secured improved repairs, leading to a national programme to fix or replace affected machines.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is the UK’s national product regulator, responsible for protecting people and places from product-related harm.
What was the situation?
This year experts working in OPSS provided significant technical advice to help address a safety issue with specific heat pump tumble dryers manufactured by Haier. 103,000 machines were affected as they presented a risk of fire.
OPSS scientists, engineers, and risk managers worked together to determine the cause of the failure. This meant assessing: the potential root cause of the failure; how effective a repair might be in fixing the problem and how monitoring of repairs to affected machines could be assessed.
What action was taken?
They conducted a thorough analysis, that included accompanying enforcement officers on inspections to manufacturers, reviewing manufacturer technical documentation and conducting product examinations in the OPSS laboratories.
They also assembled an external panel of experts, chaired by the Department for Business and Trade’s Chief Scientific Adviser to provide additional advice and assurance. Through this analysis they concluded that the manufacturer’s initial repair solution was not satisfactory.
The impact
The OPSS team’s collaborative effort and expertise enabled them to provide timely advice on how to reduce the risk of fire for affected appliances and how an updated safety modification should be applied by the businesses through its Corrective Action Programme.
The result was the successful commencement of the Corrective Action Programme by the business in September 2025 to repair or replace affected machines in people’s homes.
This effort demonstrates the importance of expert science advice in protecting public safety and promoting effective regulation. The collaboration between OPSS, part of the Department for Business and Trade, and other stakeholders is a great example of how science advice can drive positive change.