The British Approvals Service for Cables (BASEC) is supporting a campaign to tackle the growing influx of counterfeit electrical goods coming onto the UK market. Eaton is doing the same:
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| Alan Birks, President of BEAMA Installation. |
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| BASEC CEO, Dr Jeremy Hodge. |
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The two organisations join other industry-wide organisations in signing the Electrical Installation Industry Charter of action to help prevent the illegal and dangerous trade.
Annually, an estimated £30m worth of counterfeit electrical products reach the UK. The consequences of counterfeit electrical accessories entering the supply chain are damaging to business and the public and could ultimately result in death or injury.
BASEC CEO, Dr Jeremy Hodge, said: "This is a growing issue and, in supporting this campaign with other organisations, we aim to stamp out the trade in faked goods in the electrical sector, many of which are dangerous. We urge all of those in the supply chain, manufacturers, specifiers, distributors and installers to please check that they are only dealing with safe, quality products."
For manufacturers using faulty materials, it can mean loss of revenue, while for specifiers, wholesalers and contractors, reputations are at stake if counterfeit products not meeting the required standards are supplied and installed.
The campaign aims to help stem the use of counterfeit products at source and ensure the UK market does not suffer from a flood of potentially lethal items. The Charter is also endorsed by BEAMA, the Electrical Safety Council, the British Cables Association, SELECT, the Lighting Industry Federation, the ECA and the Electrical Distributors' Association.
In support of the campaign, BEAMA has produced a new six minute long DVD highlighting the potential dangers of counterfeiting - fire, death and injury - and the impact on reputation and business by specifying and installing inferior quality 'copy cat' electrical products. There is also a dedicated website: www.counterfeit-kills.co.uk
And Alan Birks, Distribution Channel Manager for Eaton and President of BEAMA Installation, said: "Don't risk selling or installing counterfeit and non-compliant electrical installation products - you are risking prosecution and you could be endangering lives."
Eaton too:
Alan is concerned at the increasing sales of counterfeit wiring accessories, circuit breakers, fuses, cables and lighting products in shops, DIY stores and electrical wholesalers. "Some of these products are not only substandard - they are downright dangerous", he says.
"This is not just scare mongering - we have tested fuses with no sand filling or fuse elements; we have seen 'miniature circuit-breakers' with no overcurrent protection. These devices are intended to protect the public but if they are exposed to a short-circuit current they could explode, causing injury, fire or even death. Another problem is the use of unsuitable moulding materials that will not withstand the stress of short-circuit currents.
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Related contacts
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British Approvals Service for Cables (BASEC)
Web: www.basec.org.uk
Eaton Electric Reddings Lane, Birmingham B11 3EZ
Web: www.eatonelectrical.com/uk |
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Source: BASEC & James Hunt |
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