Faulty Hair Dryers Can Kill You

I’ve had hair dryers spontaneously die – it’s usually when I am halfway through my head and running late to an important meeting/date/party.

Sxc.hu

It’s frustrating, for sure. But it can be way worse. A faulty hair dryer can KILL you.

This morning in my news-reading, I saw the horrifying tale of a Pakistani diplomat who died of an electric shock while using a hairdryer in the bathroom,

M Khan Afridi, political counsellor at Pakistan’s High Commission here, collapsed after taking a shower late on Sunday, a Pakistani diplomat said. “It was probably caused by an electric short circuit,” the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. The 47-year-old was rushed to the Fortis Hospital in New Delhi but was declared dead.

This is not the first time something like this has happened – in fact, it’s a well-documented danger, and that’s why – as eager as we are to have great hair – we HAVE to take precautions each and every time we pull out that dryer. (Or ANY heat tool for that matter.)

Here’s some quick tips I follow, ALWAYS, no matter how busy/in a rush I think I am: # 1. Always “unplug it” after use.

1 – Always unplug after use. Always. No matter what. Even if you think you may be using it again in an hour.
2. Do not keep your tools in a place where they can fall or be pulled into tub. Toilet. Or sink.
3. I know we like to multi-task. I’ve been known to brush teeth in the shower, even. But do not use  use your heat while bathing or have the sink/shower even on.
4. If dryer falls into water, unplug immediately. Do not reach into water and retrieve it.

5. If you hear/see a spark. Turn it off. It’s not a good sign! In fact, it’s a sign to start looking for a replacement.