How to protect yourself from counterfeit cable and electrical products

gazza — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 23:00:00 +0000

gazza Mon, 15/07/2013

Almost everyone who works in the electrical industry will be aware of counterfeit cable which has seen sub standard cable finding it's way into electrical wholesalers and contractors have unwittingly purchased it. Counterfeit cable made an even larger appearance following the huge price increases in copper. In counterfeit cable, the copper is replaced with undersized conductors or very poor quality copper which when in use can lead to fire. The cable sheaf itself is poor quality often cracking and breaking up soon after install.
Did you know that electrical contractors who use counterfeit cable in an installation either knowingly or unknowingly could find themselves in court?
There have been 15 million seizures of electrical counterfeits since 2001 and the figure is rising continuously. The responsibility of the purchase of genuine cable rests with those who specify, purchase and/or install the cable.
What can be done?
To help ensure you only purchase genuine cable, you can adapt these simple measures that will protect you from the huge and growing problem of counterfeit cable.
Devise a strategy within your business that everyone who is responsible for cable safety needs to follow before purchasing cable.
Ensure that trademarks, logos and patents are registered and valid in the country of manufacture
The country of origin and brand name should be at least stamped (embossed is better) on all products
The cable should have moulded protected marks. An as example, BASEC – British Approvals Service for Cables has the word BASEC on the cable if the cable is BASEC approved. Adhesive labels are sometimes used on reels and drums by manufacturers which displays the BASEC name, however this is not a substitute for BASEC being marked on the cable.
Check security seals and holograms are in place. Do not purchase products if the security seal is broken or defective holograms are found.
Packaging labels should always be printed not handwritten.
What should you do if you suspect counterfeit electrical products and cables?
Check with the brand owner or certification body
Blow the whistle by reporting to Counterfeit Kills
Counterfeit Kills is a joint initiative and is supported by the electrical industry. It allows the reporting of counterfeit electrical products on line in confidence.
Summary
If you think there is a lot of information to take in, there is an easy method of protecting yourself from counterfeit electrical products by remembering the Three P's:
Price – if it is significantly lower than other outlets then it is wise to proceed with caution.
Place – buy from established, well known outlets that care about their reputation rather than somewhere you have never heard of.
Person – always buy products which are reputable brands rather than unknown brands.
By working together and being more aware when purchasing electrical products and cable, we will eventually starve the counterfeiting industry of it's bait – profiteering from unsuspecting people.

Blog tags

counterfeit