Turkey Fryer Safety Standard To Be Revised Nov 7, 2002

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Manufacturers and the U.S. and Canadian product safety community will examine revisions to the safety standard that governs deep-fat turkey fryers.

The decision comes in the wake of a consumer alert distributed in June by the independent product-safety testing organization Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) that raised concerns about possible fire and injury hazards associated with the popular cooking devices.

The Z21/83 Accredited Standards Committee, which oversees the safety standard covering turkey fryers and is sanctioned by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), has agreed to form a task group to address the various safety issues mentioned in UL's consumer alert.

UL studied turkey fryers in response to reports of fires in the U.S. involving the appliances and concerns that the large amount of hot oil used by such cookers could cause serious burns. Testing by engineering staff at UL's U.S. divisions in Research Triangle Park, NC, U.S., and Northbrook, IL, U.S., raised concerns regarding turkey fryers' stability, lack of temperature control, and hot surfaces, among others.

The task group will include representatives from UL; the Canadian Standards Association (CSA); the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA); various turkey fryer manufacturers; and a consumer advocate. The Z21/83 committee has asked the task group to prepare a proposal for changes to the standard before the committee's next meeting in April 2003.

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