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Electrical Safety Council leads global debate on electrical product safety
6th January 2009
Our inaugural International Electrical Product Safety Conference, which took place in London last September, was a great success, attracting international delegates from countries throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
Counterfeiting, quality certification, industry regulation, legislation and consumer protection were issues high on the agenda at the two-day event.
Dave Dossett, Chairman of the Electrical Safety Council said, “This highly successful initiative has brought together, for the first time, key stakeholders involved in improving the safety of electrical products in a truly globalised marketplace, providing an invaluable platform for product safety and electrical professionals from the international community to debate, network and knowledge share.
The issues discussed at the Conference are pertinent to all of those in the UK electrical industry from manufacturers and distributors, contractors and specifiers, to policy makers and regulators.
In opening up the debate our aim is to develop a clear strategy for working with other organisations to help shape the future direction of product safety.”
Also, the delegate feedback was very positive, with such comments as:
‘Very good conference which laid the basis for future international co-operation’,
‘An invaluable learning and networking opportunity. I am looking forward to the second conference.’
‘Shows the Electrical Safety Council is prepared to roll its sleeves up and do things whereas many others just talk about it!’
The conference had an impressive speaker line-up of senior representatives from the European Commission, Trading Standards, BERR, European Committee of Domestic Equipment Manufacturers, British Retail Consortium, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, BEAMA and BASEC to name but a few.
In addition to the conference proceedings, an exhibition, staged in the stunning Assembly Hall at Church House, Westminster, gave delegates an ideal chance to collect the latest information on product safety and build contacts with our sponsors and exhibitors.
Following the first busy day of presentations and workshops, delegates enjoyed a gala dinner at the historic Lincoln’s Inn.
At the gala dinner, the Council added its backing to the Electrical Installation Industry Charter, an agreement that confirms the commitment of all signatories in the fight against the trade in counterfeit electrical products, and the proliferation of products failing to comply with the appropriate standards.
Dave Dossett, who signed the Charter on behalf of the Electrical Safety Council, commented:
“Sub-standard and counterfeit electrical products can kill. No one is immune and it’s in everyone’s interest that the electrical industry unites to tackle this global problem. The Electrical Safety Council is working on many different fronts to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by electrical accidents. By joining forces with other Charter signatories we hope to develop practical and effective solutions to drive out the trade in dangerous, non-compliant electrical products and improve user safety.”
Representatives from BASEC, BCA and the Lighting Industry Federation also added their names to the Charter at the gala dinner, joining founder signatories BEAMA, EDA, ECA and SELECT.
For further information about anti-counterfeiting initiatives, visit www.counterfeit-kills.co.uk We would like to thank all the sponsors, exhibitors and supporters of the conference for their valuable contribution to the event. To view a webcast of the opening plenary session and other highlights from the conference, visit: www.escconference.org.uk/multimedia
