29 Nov 2021

With the recent Black Friday sales and as everyone heads towards Christmas, a large number of people will be treating themselves or their family to new electrical devices and items.

From tablets and phones to new lights for the Christmas tree, this time of year sees a surge in electrical purchases.

extensive damage

FASS would like to urge people to only purchase official, licensed, or reputable brands

FASS would like to take this opportunity to urge people to only purchase official, licensed, or reputable brands rather than being tempted by cheaper alternatives that are so readily available online.

Often these products are made to lower standards and do not meet the safety levels required, potentially leading to malfunction and fire in your home.

One such incident happened recently in Darlington (as reported in The Northern Echo), where an unofficial iPhone charger exploded, setting light to a mattress in a teenager's bedroom. Fortunately, no-one was injured, but the house has suffered extensive damage and life-long possessions have been lost.

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

It is simply not worth the risk to purchase unofficial items and FASS would always encourage everyone to only buy official, licensed products from reputable retailers.

For commercial clients, FASS can provide Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) to ensure that electrical devices are safe to use. In addition, FASS also provides dry powder fire extinguishers, which are extremely effective on electrical fires.