Black Friday electrical goods warning from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) is warning residents to be extra careful when purchasing electrical goods this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Every year, there is an increase in house fires at this time of year caused by charging or electrical appliances. As part of Electrical Fire Safety Month, ECFRS are urging people not to compromise when it comes to buying electrical items.
Andrea MacAlister, Temporary Head of Live Safe for the Service said: “We know it’s really tempting to see a bargain and jump on it, especially ahead of Christmas. But it’s important to make sure you’re not putting yourself or your family at risk by buying counterfeit or faulty items.
“We recommend you only buy electrical items from a reputable retailer. Unregulated marketplaces like eBay and Amazon can advertise products which look genuine and safe. However, it is hard to tell and therefore it's so much safer to buy from a reputable retailer.
“Purchased electrical items should always have the UKCA or CE mark on them, which means they meet the correct safety standards and if something is wrong with the item you can return it.
“The last thing we want to see at this time of year is a fire in your home, so please think twice when buying electrics during the sales period.”
Top safety tips:
- Buy from a reputable retailer that you know and trust - that way if something goes wrong, you can return the product for repair or a refund.
- Look out for the United Kingdom Conformity Assessed (UKCA) or CE mark.
- If you suspect you have purchased a fake product, stop using it immediately and report it to your local Trading Standards.
- Do not charge items while you are out or asleep.
- Never leave mobile phones and other appliances on or under your pillow or bed covers (or soft furnishings) while you are sleeping - they could overheat and start a fire.
- Don't overload plug sockets - keep to one per socket.
- Unplug electrical appliances and chargers when you're not using them and when you go out or go to bed.
- Look out for signs of dangerous or loose wiring e.g. scorch marks, hot plugs and sockets, flickering lights, fuses that blow or circuit breakers that trip for no obvious reason.
- Regularly check for frayed or worn cables and wires.
- Register your appliance to be made aware of any safety recalls here: https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/news/would-you-know-if-one-your-appliances-was-unsafe
