What's new at Trading Standards

April 2012

Keeping an eye out for faulty lasers

Trading Standards in Plymouth are warning about the dangers posed by laser pens after several products sold in the city failed safety tests.

Officers purchased six laser pens and pointers and submitted them to a test house to see if they complied with legal requirements. Laser pens are often used in lectures and presentations, enabling people to point to specific issues.

All of them failed to have the correct safety labelling but more worryingly, three of them were found to be too powerful for general use.

The Health Protection Agency advises that laser products sold to the general public should have a maximum power limit of 1mW.

One of the items tested had a power output of nearly five times this limit. Lasers this powerful exceed the maximum permissible exposure for accidental viewing and can potentially cause eye injuries.

The items failing the tests have been removed from sale and Trading Standards officers are making further enquiries about where they came from.

A spokesman for Plymouth City Council’s Trading Standards said: “It is a worry that we found these unsafe goods on sale within the city.

“Parents, in particular, need to be aware of the potential dangers of these products and make sure they are used responsibly.”

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March 2012

Alarm bells ring over dangerous energy saving scam

Consumers are being warned about a scam involving cold calling over the telephone offering energy-saving devices.

Plymouth Trading Standards Service is urging people, particularly the elderly, to be wary of the scam after a Plymouth woman contacted them after falling prey to the con.

She told the service she was kept on the phone for over an hour before feeling pressurised to buy the device. At one point, she had actually put the phone down, but the seller phoned back.

The device came with paperwork headed ‘Power Savers Ltd’ giving an address in New York. It cost £99 and came with instructions which are in broken English.

Trading standards across the country are currently dealing with more than 200 complaints about people claiming to be their energy supplier or working in partnership with them, offering a plug-in device which they say can save them 40 per cent off their energy bills.

Trading standards have had a number of the items tested which not only failed to satisfy electrical safety standards but do not deliver any noticeable energy saving.

If people have responded to one of these cold calls they should report the matter on the Action Fraud website or the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 08454 04 05 06.

They should also contact their bank to stop their debit/credit card. If a device has been received they should not use it and dispose of it carefully.

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January 2012

Trading Standards warn of dangerous tropical seed bracelets

Bracelets made from Abrus Precatorius seeds have been recalled because they could potentially be dangerous if swallowed or chewed.

The bracelets were being sold in a number of outlets throughout the country including the Eden Project.

The Council’s Trading Standards staff have checked that none of the products are available in the city and have issued specific warning information to Plymouth Children’s Centres.

If you have bought one of these bracelets you are advised to contact the importer to arrange a return.

Rainstick Trading, Unit 3, Carlton Park Industrial Estate, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 2NL. Telephone 01728 604 500, Fax 01728 604 374.

Only the red and black coloured bracelets are affected.

Further details including a photograph of the product can be found on the Eden Project website.

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