ARE CO ALARMS WITH NO INDEPENDENT QUALITY APPROVAL SAFE?

 Updated 1/8/08 following  another imminent recall by UK Trading Standards; see below

Many people are under the impression that the CE Mark is a Quality Mark endorsement, just like a BS Kitemark.

That is very far from the truth, as with electronic products all the CE Mark indicates is that the alarm is compliant with European Standards for electrical safety and EMI (Interference) compliant.

The importers of such products are allowed to "self certify", so any Director/Senior Manager could sign.
They will typically be general electrical accessory importers with no particular expertise in the products
they handle, even more so in the areas of fire or CO safety; to them it is another white box.

Companies like Kidde always have the CE Compliance certified by a 3rd party agency, typically the British Standards Institute.
Our whole focus is on fire & carbon monoxide safety, and production of devices to alert & suppress the dangers.

Additionally as we are committed to comply with relevant British & European Product Standards, BS EN 50291 in the case
of CO Alarms, the product, and the factory manufacturing are subject to BSI Inspection, before a BS KItemark is granted.

BSI will then make random unannounced checks on the factory and random batches of product to ensure they still comply.

CO Alarm Recall:

Kidde is aware of at least one plug in CO alarm, recently sold in a large Cash & Carry Wholesaler chain, where on the
advice of Trading Standards,  all purchasers were contacted within a few days to return them for refund, as they
did not alert users to the presence of CO.

As an outlet where everyone has to be signed in, it was easy for them to identify purchasers.

However, Kidde Fyrnetics is concerned that retail outlets/on line suppliers & E Bay still sell such an alarm.

It is unfortunate that recent press coverage on the dangers of Carbon Monoxide are causing these rogue products
to surface, to make someone a quick profit.

Recommendations:

• Only buy a CO Alarm which conforms to BSEN 50291, and has a test mark, such as BSI's Kitemark.
  Click image below as to what to look for on an alarm.
  
  
  
• An alarm claiming "CE Approved" is not the same.
• Only buy an alarm that has a manufacturers name on the alarm's front.
• Is it a name you trust to protect you & your family from the deadly danger of CO poisoning?
• Besides plug in alarms, as mentioned above, there are also doubtful battery models on the market too.

These alarms (as with CO Patch Detectors)  may be cheaper than approved alarms such as we manufacture, but what price are they worth if they don't perform what you bought them for?