An overwhelming number of commonly used outdoor electronic devices in the UK are failing to pass basic safety tests, raising concerns about the safety of the users who continue to use them in their daily lives.
According to the study conducted by campaigning charity Electrical Safety First, 96% of outdoor appliances did not pass basic safety tests, with a water immersion heater designed to keep water in children’s paddling pools warm exploded during the tests.
All of these electronics are sold on popular online stores like Amazon, AliExpress, Wish, Tenu, and eBay and pose threats like electric shock and fire hazards that could be life-threatening at times.
CEO of the Electricity Safety First, Lesley Redd, noted that Britons are forced to think that the electronics they use are safe even though they remain risky.
The charity conducted research as part of its “Don’t be Electricked” campaign, where they tested 26 appliances on various protocols, only to find that just one of them managed to pass all the necessary safety tests. The remaining 25 products were vulnerable to giving electric shocks to the users, while 12 of them were prone to catching fire alongside giving electric shocks.
Some appliances that posed the risk of electric shock included the waterproof extension lead, the outdoor WiFi plug socket, the outdoor garden extension lead, and the portable patio heater. On the other hand, some commonly used devices that posed the risk of both electrocution and fire included multiple barbeque party products, the portable tankless cooling air cooler, the barbecue grill motor, and the festoon garland lights. Additionally, a RCD plug series, the Kingavon 1W electronic insect killer, and various water heaters and string festoon lights were also found prone to causing both electric shock and fire.
A large number of these devices failed water ingression tests, which significantly increased electrocution risks for users.
The charity wants the UK government to bring new laws and introduce strict oversight on marketplaces so that they must not sell such items. The Electrical Safety First contacted the marketplaces about the faulty products, and all of them have now been removed from the websites.
All the marketplaces urged their sellers to comply with the necessary protocols while selling electrical items, while some of them also informed people who bought these products about the charity’s research.
The charity is known for working with both the government and private organizations to reduce deaths from electrical incidents.
