Conclusion 9

A number of incidents have made us concerned about Whirlpool’s attitude to product safety. First, its use of NDAs and initial refusal to release a forensic report to a customer whose house was gutted by a fire. Second, its 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. Third, its attempt to 34 The safety of electrical goods in the UK: follow-up deflect blame for fires from the known defects in its machines onto spontaneous combusting tea towels which are more likely to occur in commercial contexts, rather than domestic ones.