An urgent safety alert has been issued for an electronic item that poses a ‘serious risk of fire’. It has been banned from sale, with the The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) sending out a warning about the product.
The warning is for a Folding Washing Machine – popular for small loads like baby clothes and socks – with the barcode number 6987857868783. It has been described as a miniature washing macine with rubberised folding top, supplied in purple cardboard packaging. Originating from China, the import has been rejected at the border.
The item number is STL0140, with a SM-1220 AC/DC adaptor. The OPSS warned: « The product presents a serious risk of fire as the plug pins do not meet the dimensional requirements of BS 1363 and cannot make a secure connection to the plug socket.
« Over time, this will damage the socket and plug, which may cause the product to overheat and catch fire. Improvements are also required to product labelling and marking.
« The product does not meet the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 or the Plugs & Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994. »
The OPSS has issued plenty of advice on how to stay safe when shopping, especially online. They said: « Think carefully about who and where you are buying from.
« While the internet has made it far easier to get a product delivered straight to your door, if you buy it from a seller based outside the UK there is a chance it may not be manufactured or labelled in accordance with our safety laws. »
People are urged to really look at any product they’ve bought for safety markings and clear instructions.
If they don’t have either of these, or a name and address of the manufacturer, then this could be a ‘red flag’ that the product might not be safe to use.
And you should always take extra care when buying things second-hand. If the instructions are missing, they may be available on the manufacturer’s website.
