2 comments so far.Socket convertors banned due to serious risk – MSA
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The Malta Standards Authority has advised Importers, Distributors and Retailers of the socket converters shown in the photograph that these products are banned from being placed on the market as they pose a serious risk to consumers.
The adapters are such that they prevent the safety gates in a socket outlet from being closed, hence exposing the live contacts in the socket posing a risk of electrocution to Consumers. Moreover, the adapters allow a two pin plug to be inserted directly into the socket without the use of a fuse to protect the appliance being connected to the mains supply.
The Malta Standards Authority requests economic operators to withdraw their current stock of adapters from the market and ensure that these products are neither sold nor anyhow given to consumers. Any such products found on the market will be removed by the Authority as stipulated by law. Consumers who have purchased these products should return them to the outlet they have been purchased from or destroy them.
The Malta Standards Authority also reminds retailers that, according to Legal Notice 181 of 2004, they are required to ensure that electrical appliances are handed over to consumers fitted with a plug or similar fused device of a suitable three-pin configuration.
What is the point of traders importing electronics and selling items with two pins? And how do you solve the problem of mobile chargers? You can change almost most item to the UK three pins system (but of course no earth) but mobile chargers and the likes you cannot. These socket convertors have been used in Malta and Gozo for yonks, now they tell us not to use them.
We have been using these converters for a long time. What were the MSA doing?
Things like this makes me wonder if we are living on Mars…..