Every year electrical appliance recall notices are issued to alert consumers of potential dangers.
Recalls can be voluntarily issued by the suppler of the product. The Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs (the Australian Government’s consumer affairs spokesperson) has the authority to order a compulsory recall of a product if it will or may cause injury to a person.
Details of recall notices appear on the web site of Product Safety Recalls Australia. These are often followup with media releases.
Contrary to common thinking, recalls are not the exclusive domain of “cheap imports”; the list now includes the names of many well known and trusted brands; those usually associated with mid to high quality products.
Many of the appliances present an electric shock risk, fire hazard or other danger to the user or property and should be withdrawn from service immediately.
If you have any of them in your workplace, home or in fact use them anywhere you should follow the recommended action detailed in the recall notice – typically to immediately stop using the appliance and return it to place of purchase.
We regularly search for recall notices that are relevent to workplaces and post the details on this web site. Click here for details.
We also have details of historical recall notices on our training site.