A still from the DVD "The True Cost of a 99p Charger" (see link at end of story) is shown above.

17 November 2008

Trading standards officers in Buckinghamshire are warning shoppers to be on the lookout for potentially lethal electrical goods.

Together with the Electrical Safety Council and the Trading Standards Institute, they are caling for regulations on the supply of electrical equipment into the UK to be improved. A particular concern is the recent influx of cheap imported electrical chargers for mobile phones, gaming machines, cameras and portable music players.

Buckinghamshire County Council's trading standards team tested 40 chargers, obtained from a range of outlets, as part of an investigation into a case where a replacement games console charger exploded in a child’s hand. It had been bought for 99p off the internet. The team found that only 12 branded chargers complied with UK electrical safety regulations.

Because of the poor internal construction of those that failed, there was a risk of wires becoming disconnected and the possibility of an electric shock. The pin size of the chargers was also below the required standard and could have caused the product to overheat.

Gina Green, trading standards team leader, said: “The issue of the safety of electrical products has mushroomed beyond belief since last year.”

She said that although there was a framework of laws designed to protect consumers from potentially unsafe electrical goods, enforcement was localised and piecemeal with no central co-ordinating body.

She added: “The introduction of independent tests on imported products, prior to them being offered for sale in the UK, would eradicate the danger outright.”

The Trading Standards Institute has made repeated calls for the Government to take action over dangerous electrical goods over the past few years.

It raised the issue again last year following the death of a young boy who was killed while using a faulty games console charger.

Seven-year-old Connor O’Keeffe died while on a family holiday to Thailand in December 2006. He was electrocuted while playing with his Gameboy, using an unsafe counterfeit charger bought on the holiday island.

Phil Buckle, director of charitable affairs at the Electrical Safety Council, said: “Counterfeit and substandard electrical products risk lives. If no action is taken to combat the problem, it’s only a matter of time before we see further tragedies occur as more and more of these dangerous products find their way into UK homes.”

Bryan Dugdale, Assistant Chief Officer, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, said: “With Christmas just a few weeks away and many people thinking about buying electrical items as presents, the message is clear – buy them from reputable dealers.”

Buckinghamshire trading standards has produced a DVD, The True Cost of a 99p Charger, warning of the potential dangers of using cheap electrical chargers produced in China. Click on the link below to see it. http://www.stantonmedia.tv/tradingstandards/truecost.html