24/08/2010

Getting the anti-counterfeit message across continues...

BEAMA's Anti-Counterfeit Working Group continues to be very active in its campaign to raise awareness of counterfeit electrical products...

Counterfeits - a new Fact Sheet:

Some 11,000 newly produced 'Counterfeit Kills' fact sheets have been distributed to electrical contractors nationwide as part of an information pack distributed by publisher Northgate. The fact sheet stressed the need for electrical contractors to be on the lookout for non-compliant, or even counterfeit, electrical installation products.

We have also created a version for our own Group purposes in communicating the 'Counterfeit Kills' message. The fact sheet gives details of the 'big picture' concerning the counterfeit problem worldwide, the dangers associated with such products and how BEAMA is working hard to beat the counterfeiter.

Contractor advice:

Our advice is always to be aware of deals, which seem too good to be true, and to avoid buying from unauthorised distributors and unauthorised websites. Beware of people and companies about which you may not be totally sure. If in any doubt, we recommend to check with the original manufacturer - they will know if a distributor is authorised or not. Also, they will know if a deal is too good to be true.

Download your copy of this fact sheet using the link below (PDF doc - 517 kB file size).

Distributor awareness campaign:

Via an email campaign, a similar message has been sent to the branch managers of almost 2,000 electrical distributors. Our specially created flyer attachment can be used as a poster to raise awareness to staff and customers.

Headlined 'COUNTERFEIT KILLS - Be Safe, don't electrocute your customers', it states that counterfeit and non-compliant electrical products can be very dangerous. It also mentions the type of products involved. For example:

• Circuit breakers - with shoddy components, some with no overloads.
• RCDs and RCBOs - that don't confirm to rigid standards of protection.
• Fuses - with no fuse elements, that can overheat and act like electric fires.
• Wiring accessories - poor imitations that can overheat and cause fires.
• Cables and wires - substandard or insufficient copper, short lengths.
• Lighting - substandard designs, causing short life span and/or overheating.

Download your copy of this article/poster using the second link below (PDF doc - 350kB file size).

Fraudulent certification marks:

There's also the practise of fraudulent use of non-authorised certification and conformity marks. The counterfeit manufacturer and unscrupulous trader will put on any mark to dupe the client and consumer into believing that they are buying the genuine article, conforming to all relevant specifications.

So take care - if in doubt about such claims, contact the original manufacturer or certification body.

Blow the whistle:

The fact sheet and electrical distributor flyer refer to the Counterfeit Kills website www.counterfeit-kills.com where there is a 'Blow the Whistle' section to confidentially report any suspicions you may have concerning potential counterfeit electrical products.

BEAMAWestminster Tower, 3 Albert Embankment,London SE1 7SLTel: +44 (0) 20 7793 3000 Fax:+44 (0) 20 7793 3003 Email: info@beama.org.ukWeb: www.beama.org.uk

info@beama.org.uk