KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Halogen lamps, ruled a fire hazard by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, have been banned from University of Tennessee-Knoxville housing, the director of residence halls said Friday.
James Grubb said about 10,000 residents of campus dormitories, fraternity houses and apartments have been notified by mail that halogen lamps are prohibited.
Six Southeastern Conference schools have banned halogen lamps, he said.
“I think this is going to become fairly common across the country,” Grubb said. “We are glad to be doing it before any damage or injury has occurred.”
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the halogen lamp industry announced Thursday that wire guards are now available to owners of some 40 million halogen floor lamps. The guards are free at many retail stores and install over the lamp bulbs to reduce potential fire hazard.
The commission says halogen floor lamps have caused at least 189 fires and 11 deaths since 1992.
Halogen lamps found in UT student housing will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the semester, Grubb said.
No disciplinary action will be taken against students this fall for having the lamps in their rooms, but they will be warned about the dangers of halogen lamps, he said.
“This semester we will approach it from an educational standpoint rather than disciplinary,” Grubb said. ‘We want to make sure everyone got the ban notices and is aware of the risk involved.
“In the future, we may take a more disciplinary approach and offenders will have to go before the Student Conduct Board.”
Grubb said no fires related to halogen lamps have been reported at UT-Knoxville.
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Contact: James Grubb (423-974-2571)