January 2024
ertonline.co.uk
Attendees gained insights from renowned experts and industry leaders at the forefront of product safety and learned about the latest legislation and regulations affecting the safety of electrical products. They also saw innovations in electrical safety and how they can help consumers, engaged in discussions and networking with a wide variety of key stakeholders.
Chris Hollins, Communications Officer at Connected Innovations, commented: “Anyone involved in this industry should come to this event because you just pick up little nuggets of knowledge. It’s an enormous industry and if we get it wrong there are some serious repercussions.” The first session was on regulation with the opportunity for delegates to put questions to an expert panel. This was followed by an examination of safety in design – how can we ensure safety from the outset? Key issues at the heart of product design were explored, from inclusivity, repairability, and interoperability to conformity and standards. The pre-market session looked at the
legal responsibilities of placing a product on the market. Put under the spotlight was due diligence, risk assessments, testing, and controversies over normal use and foreseeable misuse. In the afternoon, delegates heard about the critical issues affecting products on the market, with an examination of incidents, traceability, and supply chain issues as well as looking at second life products, handling of service and repair and the need for global market regulation.
The final session of the day considered end of life versus extended life. Longer lifecycles must be balanced against risks in repair and extended life, and experts delved into the latest developments in technology and safety innovations as well as legal implications – and how to balance what can often be conflicting considerations.
Geraldine Cosh, Director of Cosh Consulting, said: “There’s great presentations here, great
connections, always new attendees. It’s a really great event to learn and to network.”
Safety Innovation Award winner
announced The conference also featured the announcement and presentation of Electrical Safety First’s prestigious and coveted Safety Innovation Award 2023, sponsored by Product IP, which recognizes and rewards innovators, designers, and creators delivering forward-thinking approaches to product design and safety. Martin Van der Dussen, Managing Director at
ProductIP, said: “The Safety Innovation Award is important because it gets you publicity and attention. Even if you are only a nominee and not get the award itself, it will still get you the attention you need to bring your service or product successfully to the market.” The 2023 winner is HobSensus, designed
by Prefect Controls specifically for student accommodation, communal kitchens and people living in sheltered or assisted-living property. It makes kitchens safer by ensuring that hobs are not left switched on if the person preparing food is distracted, and by alerting residents if there is potential for a pan fire. In addition, when connected to an alarm system, in the event of a building evacuation, it can cut power to all hobs in a block to reduce the risk of secondary ignition from kitchens that have been cleared. Glen Golding, Managing Director of Prefect
Controls Limited, says: “Whatever the situation, the hob cannot accidentally be switched on. It will be turned off, if forgotten about. Or it will turn off because dangerous temperatures are being approached. “Kitchens are safer with HobSensus on the wall. Recognition by way of this award from such an authority as Electrical Safety First is testament to the logic, design, and functionality found in HobSensus.” The judging panel’s comments on HobSensus were that it is “tested and approved to BS EN 50615 Category
B, affordable and able to be retrofitted to existing installations, can be integrated to other fire systems and controlled centrally via IRUS, can identify patterns of risk in suites of accommodation, is targeted to higher risk installations such as student accommodation, and is robust and tamperproof.” Adrian Barber, marketing manager at Prefect
Controls, was interviewed on stage at the conference and spoke about how HobSensus can be a safety product for any kitchen but particularly for those living with dementia, in retirement, care, or assisted living homes, and multi-user facilities such as hostels or holiday parks.
He said the conference was “a great platform to demonstrate your capabilities and show your innovations”. He added, “It’s not just about bringing products to market, it’s about great ideas that can actually make a huge difference to the world by saving lives.” In addition to the award winner, it was
announced at the conference that the Highly Commended entry for 2023 went to South Tyneside Homes for its Post Occupancy Electrical
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Safety Check initiative, which educates tenants on electrical safety risks. This improves awareness of how tenants can keep themselves and their families safe in their homes over the short and long-term. And it offers protection by reducing issues of disrepair, electrical faults, electrical fires, and overspending of budgets.
Keep an eye on Electrical Safety First’s website and social media channels
for
details of the 2024 Electrical Product Safety Conference, taking place in London on November 21.
Sponsors and supporters of the 2023 Electrical Product Safety Conference were Connected Innovations, Eurofins, ICPHSO, OPSS and ProductIP.
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