A range of electrical products, including many household items, will be the subject of a safety audit by Access Canberra inspectors in retail shops.
The audit is being carried out to ensure that products being sold meet Australian safety standards.
Justice and consumer affairs minister Shane Rattenbury, announcing the audit on Tuesday with workplace safety and industrial relations minister Mick Gentleman, said inspectors will be looking for non-compliant electrical products in ACT retail stores, including electric blankets, hair dryers, toasters, microwave ovens and power tools.
Non-compliant products will be removed from sale, he said.
“The Australian Consumer Law requires goods sold in Australia to be of acceptable quality and safe for consumers.
“This compliance program is one aspect of the work Access Canberra undertake to ensure products sold in the ACT are safe for consumers.
“Most household electrical products require an electrical safety approval mark and some small electrical goods may also use other approved marks such as the trade name.
“Electrical safety approval marks indicate to retailers and consumers that the electrical product has been tested and approved for sale. Overseas certificates of approval, and approval marks such as the CE mark are not acceptable in Australia.”
Gentleman said the audit would have a strong education focus, with inspectors showing retailers what to look for to ensure electrical products are legally approved.
“I would encourage all retailers of electrical products to familiarise themselves with the legally acceptable safety approval markings contained in the Guide to selling safe electrical goods in the ACT,” he said.
The guide is available at www.act.gov.au/accessCBR .
In the ACT, the maximum penalty for selling, importing, hiring or exchanging electrical goods that require safety approval marks and Australian Certificate approval is $30,000 or $150,000 for corporations.
