Research carried out by the UK electrical safety charity, Electrical Safety First, shows that many people tend to ignore product recall notices or worse still, are not notified that their electrical appliance could be dangerous.
Would you ignore a product recall notice?
Four million household appliances have been recalled by manufacturers over the last four years but yet the typical response rate is between 10-20%. Therefore, there are potentially millions of dangerous electrical products in use on a daily basis in homes all over the UK.
As an electrician in Sleaford, I have seen first hand the devastating effects of the damage caused by dangerous electrical products. Electrical items which are recalled by the manufacturer (product recall) have the potential to cause electrical injury, shock or house fire. It is important that you act on a product recall notice if you receive one to ensure your electrical safety is not compromised.
Electrical Safety First state that 77% of people are more likely to respond to a product recall notice if they were more aware of the potential damage an item under a product recall notice could cause. Unfortunately most people see a product recall notice as nothing more than a few annoying niggles.
It is not just large electrical appliances that are affected
It is very common of people to feel that large electrical appliances are more likely to cause a problem. This is not true, an appliance like a hair dryer is just as likely to give you an electric shock as a washing machine if there is a product recall on them, even if you are using them otherwise correctly.
When you purchase an electrical product, it is important that you register the product. In the event of a product recall, the manufacturer will be able to reach you far easier. Unfortunately 61% of those surveyed during the research said they did not register their product as they thought their details would be used for market research purposes.
Dangerous electrical products have the potential to cause serious fire in the home. It is not only the product that will be affected but the electrical wiring in the home. Damaged wiring can cause tripping and other electrical problems that can become costly to repair.
At Marshall Sadler, we recommend that your home is checked electrical safety if you have been using an electrical item under a product recall. An electrical installation condition report (EICR) will identify any potential damage caused by the product.
Always return products under product recall for a replacement or refund. Never continue using products that are subject to a recall notice.
