Hazardous Christmas lights in NZ on the decrease

Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

The number of hazardous Christmas lights in New Zealand is on the decrease, but consumers still need to exercise care, according to Energy Safety Services.

Today it was revealed 30 per cent of Christmas lights in Europe were so poorly constructed that users were at risk of electric shock or fire.

A random check by the European Commission found sub-standard lighting sets in Germany, Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, with half of the dangerous items originating in China.

Energy Safety operations manager Mark Wogan said the general trend in New Zealand, however, was encouraging.

"We've been proactively auditing and educating suppliers, so most product is compliant."

Energy Safety, which is part of the Ministry of Economic Development, prosecuted three companies and issued more than 40 warning letters for safety breaches this year.

Feng Bao International Trading, Imports Direct and Toplink Global Limited (trading as Evergreen Christmas) were all convicted and fined for breaching the regulations.

Mr Wogan said the most common features of unapproved items were the use of non-New Zealand plugs and inadequate insulation, which can create a fire hazard.

He said many people would be starting to put up Christmas decorations and urged them to thoroughly check electronics for damage or defects.

Decorative lights such as Christmas lights are considered "higher risk" items because of how they are used, for example, wrapped around trees and houses.

They are classified as a declared article under the Electricity Regulations and must be tested against both Australian and New Zealand standards before being approved for sale.

They are also required to be labelled with a voltage rating, an electrical approval number and the name of a manufacturer or supplier.

The maximum fine for suppliers who breach either prohibition or approval is $10,000.

According to Consumer magazine, five models of coloured rope lights were recalled from Mitre 10 last year as a fault in their connections created a risk of "potentially fatal electric shock".

A poorly insulated Christmas lighting set was also recalled from various $2 Shops, Mitre 10 and Pak n Save branches in 2006.

SAFETY FIRST
* When buying Christmas lights, check that the plugs are the same as the ones you use at home
* Check both old and new lights for damaged sockets, wires or connections. If in doubt, call in a registered electrical worker
* When putting up lights outside, check they are safe to use externally
* Switch off and unplug light strings from sockets before replacing lamps
* When changing bulbs, ensure the new ones are of the same voltage or wattage
* Use a Residual Current Device (RCD) to automatically disconnect power should a fault occur