UK safety charity Electrical Safety First and global quality solutions provider Intertek have joined forces to offer UK retailers and manufacturers advice on best practice on product safety.
The ‘Safety in Mind – the non-standard approach’ seminar, held at St Brides Foundation on Fleet St in London, covered the importance of adopting a ‘right first time’ approach for ensuring products are safe, the need for products to meet safety standards long before they reach consumers, how to design safe products where there isn’t a standard to rely on, as well as insights into the government review of the UK’s system for the recall of unsafe products.
Intertek experts and Electrical Safety First presented to manufacturers, retailers, product testing houses, regulators and lawyers at the London product supply chain industry networking event.
Electrical Safety First head of electrotechnical Martyn Allen commented: “While the UK’s safety record is generally good, recent media headlines have highlighted the dangers of unsafe electrical products to both consumers and businesses. And it needs to be noted that almost half of all domestic fires arise through electricity, with the majority caused by electrical products.
“We are keenly aware that many businesses need support in fulfilling their legal obligations in relation to product safety. So we are now offering a range of consultancy services, from risk assessment to product safety training, as we believe the best way to protect consumers is by working with the industry.”
Intertek expert Geraldine Cosh added: “Intertek remains at the forefront of product safety testing, which means our experts are well placed to provide vital advice to the industry on how to stay ahead of industry standards while continuing to innovate. Electrical products must be safe, even if specific standards don’t exist or the technological state-of-the-art has outpaced them.
“Nothing can stop a company’s growth plans as fast as port or border authorities blocking a product because they don’t consider it meets safety requirements, or a company finding out that a product is unsafe when it’s already on sale, requiring a recall.”
