HOMES throughout Worcestershire are being checked to ensure their hot water boilers do not have a potentially fatal fault.

The moves follow the death of 10-month-old Rhianna Hardie, who suffered severe burns when a hot water tank in the loft above her bedroom exploded, showering her with boiling water in December 2006.

Last week the jury at her inquest, in Taunton, Somerset, ruled the tragedy could have been avoided if the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had done more following a similar incident in 2002.

The incident happened when a faulty thermostat in an emersion heater failed, causing water in the tank to overheat.

As the water boiled it was forced through a safety vent pipe and into a plastic cold water tank in the loft, which eventually melted sending gallons of hot water through the ceiling and into the bedroom where the baby slept.

Now, Worcester Community Housing and Festival Housing are identifying a number of houses which need further checks and have made their tenants aware of the possible dangers in a newsletter.

A spokeswoman for the Festival housing group, which manages 8,000 properties in the county, said: "These checks will then be carried out in the next couple of months, and a newsletter is being sent to residents highlighting the HSE guidance."

Worcester Community Housing, which owns and manages 4,542 homes in Worcester, will be advising tenants and following the points issued from the HSE.

Craig Geens, assets director for Worcester Community Housing, said a small number of houses had tanks in the loft, but he did not know exactly how many.