“More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that Hawkesworth Appliance Testing has done. The firm’s high standard has set an example, which hopefully will be followed by other companies within their industry.”
James Ostler MD, National Britannia Group (Safecontractor)
Product safety conference highlights appliance dangers
The Electrical Safety Council’s recent Product Safety Conference brought together a wide range of speakers and delegates to discuss the latest developments in market surveillance and electrical product safety.
The programme covered a range of key issues, including a review of the UK’s surveillance priorities and a look at how collaborative working between manufacturers and government agencies is increasing seizures of unsafe and counterfeit goods.
Many of the presentations highlighted the dangers posed by unsafe electrical appliances and some of the key messages included in presentations included:
- London Fire Brigade reported that 891 fires caused by large domestic appliances in the period 2008-2011.
- 10% of world trade is now represented by counterfeit products, with approx £30 million of counterfeit electrical goods entering the UK market in 2010.
- Appliance testing by the trading standards office of one UK county council reported that 26% were non-compliant and 45% were unsafe.
- Statistics from Essex Fire and Rescue showed that from 2006-2008, there were 438 primary fires as a result of faulty electrical appliances, These caused 75 casualties.
- A safety campaign in care homes in the south of England revealed that 5.8% of the electrical items tested were found to be faulty.