What you have to watch out for when you are shopping online for electrical goods!

Amazon, ebay, Qoo, Lazada... these eCommerce sites have indeed enriched our shopping experience by their amazing range of product offerings! Furthermore, shopping at Taobao is immensely popular with bargain hunters. This is because the attractive prices listed in the Taobao are due to the massive number of merchants competing with each other to offer the best prices!

"eCommerce sites have indeed enriched our shopping experience by their amazing range of product offerings"

Nevertheless, homeowners like you should exercise extra caution when you are purchasing household electrical, electronic and gas appliances and accessories to avoid endangering the lives of your family due to the fire break out.

Why should you exercise extra caution when you are purchasing household electrical, electronic and gas appliances and accessories?

Household electrical, electronic and gas appliances and accessories actually falls under the category of Controlled Goods due to their differences in AC voltages and frequencies. Controlled Goods are rigorously tested against the specified safety benchmarks set by SPRING, which is the Safety Authority that overseas 45 categories of household electrical, electronic and gas appliances and accessories. These controlled goods have to pass the safety standards before they can be sold and used in Singapore to ensure the safety of the consumers. 

"Controlled Goods are rigorously tested against the specified safety benchmarks set by SPRING"

The controlled goods which have met the specific safety standards are easily identified by the SAFETY Mark either on the product or its packaging when they are sold in Singapore. The SAFETY Mark bore a unique 8-digit registration number traceable to the registrant and the registered models.

What does this mean to you?

The dangers of purchasing controlled goods that are not SAFETY Mark certified should not be underestimated. Hence, it is recommended that you do the following: 1. Find out whether the household electrical, electronic and gas appliances and accessories that you intend to purchase locally or overseas falls under the list of 45 categories*;

2. Keep a look out for the SAFETY Mark logo when shopping for controlled goods on local online stores. If the SAFETY Mark information is not present, you should check with the sellers prior purchasing;

3. Refrain from purchasing controlled goods when you are shopping at the overseas store since they are not given the SAFETY Mark and;

4. Last but not least, keep an active look out for product recalls being issued around the world on the following overseas national safety recall sites when you wish to purchase products from an overseas retailer or supplier:

a) US Government Recalls (b) RAPEX, European Union’s alert system (c) GlobalRecalls portal (d) U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Recall site (e) Product Safety Recalls Australia

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*45 categories of Controlled Goods: Adaptor Audio products Cooking Coffee maker Slow cooker steamboat Decorative lighitng fixtures Hair dryer Home computer system (inclusive of monitor, printer, speaker and other mains operated accessories) High-fidelity set Iron Immersion water heater Kettle Laser disc set Microwave oven Mobile split airconditioner Mixer, blender, mincer and similar appliances Refrigerator Rice cooker Room air-conditioner Television / video display unit Table / standing fan Table lamp/ standing lamp Toaster, grill, roaster, hot plate, deep fryer, wok and similar appliances Video cassette recorder Vacuum cleaner Washing machine Wall fan / Ceiling fan Components of the LPG gas system – Hose Components of the LPG gas system – Regulator Components of the LPG gas system – Valve Gas cooker Gas canister Portable cooking gas appliance 3-pin rectangular type 13-amp plug Fuse (≤13 amperes) for use in plug 3-pin round type 15- amp plug Multi-way Adaptor 3-pin portable socketoutlet Portable cable reel Instantaneous electric water heater Mains pressure electric storage water heater Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB) 3-pin 13-amp socketoutlet 3-pin round type 15- amp socket-outlet Domestic electric wall switch Ballast for tubular fluorescent lamp Isolating transformer for downlight fitting