New Legislation Passed to Improve Safety Standards for Electric Space Heaters

Mindy Cohn

After a heater sparked a deadly fire in Twin Parks in the Bronx on January 9, less than a year ago, new legislation was passed yesterday, requiring additional safety measures for space heaters sold in New York.

Retailers in New York are now prohibited from selling electric space heaters without thermostats, and automatic shut-offs, which are not certified by a testing and certification body recognized and approved by the United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

The new bill is intended to prevent senseless deaths and injuries as New Yorkers heat their homes this winter.