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Who Polices The Safety of Lighting?

Foffer

I have questioned a supplier about an unsafe light fitting.  In the data sheet and on the equipment it is marked Class 1 but I found that the metal pattress is the only part that is earthed, where the terminals are.  The pendant part which hangs by its own cabling does not have any earth continuity with the pattress although it is all made of steel.  The supplier said they would look into it and then sent me back a communication from the manufacturer stating (in terrible English, full of incorrect terms) explaining that although the pattress was Class 1, the pendant was Class 2.  They also attached the ENEC certification which clearly shows it is Class 1 with no mention of any part being Class 2

I have two questions please.

I didn't think it was possible to have one piece of equipment which is both Class 1 and 2, please confirm.

What body should I report this to in order to stop an unsafe light fitting being sold?

Thanks for your help.

Parents
  • 0

    yes well as soon as the ink is dry on the rules someone is wiggling right up to the edge of them. In practice of course it is not likely to chafe and if the lamp holder falls apart there are more serious concerns anyway, and having a hand full of cracked plastic and some live terminals as well as an earthed thing to touch may actually be worse than just the handful of live  terminals.
    And then there is plenty of stuff in service that does not really comply at all, being in affect class 0.
    In a perfect world light fittings would all cost about £100 and meet all regs with room to spare but there is no appetite for that, and some might argue that  as inflation and wages diverge, the value of life really ought to fall again so the risk balance moves back to a cheaper, but slightly riskier position. In reality that happens but only in an accidental and often unwise way - folk stretch the interval to change the tyres on the car and so on.

    Mike.

Reply
  • 0

    yes well as soon as the ink is dry on the rules someone is wiggling right up to the edge of them. In practice of course it is not likely to chafe and if the lamp holder falls apart there are more serious concerns anyway, and having a hand full of cracked plastic and some live terminals as well as an earthed thing to touch may actually be worse than just the handful of live  terminals.
    And then there is plenty of stuff in service that does not really comply at all, being in affect class 0.
    In a perfect world light fittings would all cost about £100 and meet all regs with room to spare but there is no appetite for that, and some might argue that  as inflation and wages diverge, the value of life really ought to fall again so the risk balance moves back to a cheaper, but slightly riskier position. In reality that happens but only in an accidental and often unwise way - folk stretch the interval to change the tyres on the car and so on.

    Mike.

Children
  • 0 in reply to mapj1

    Love your philosophical approach Mike! I know I sometimes I'm wearing blinkers with my technical hat on, but after reading your last comment I think I'm feeling a bit more balanced now!

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