Electrical equipment is one of the leading causes of fires in Canada.
Many of these fires are caused by unapproved consumer electrical appliances and products. Unapproved products can also cause electrical shocks and burn hazards in your home.
Any electronic or electrical product that connects to an electrical outlet in your home must be labeled with the mark of an inspection agency approved in Canada (i.e. Canadian Standards Association “CSA”/Underwriters Laboratories of Canada “ULC”). The inspection agency assesses the construction and design of the product to ensure it conforms to an acceptable standard in Canada and is safe for use by consumers.
Unapproved or fraudulently marked electrical equipment is a growing problem in Canada as electronic devices continue to become more prevalent and demand for cheaper products to keep household expenses down grows.
Health Canada conducted an audit of USB chargers sold at a variety of retailers and found that unapproved products could be found in many popular big box stores as well as online retailers.
The problem with unapproved equipment is not limited to consumer products and can be potentially be found in the workplace throughout CFB Borden, in the form of power tools and industrial equipment. Purchasing this equipment from trusted and reputable suppliers does not necessarily ensure that the item is approved for sale in Canada. It is important that anyone with the responsibility of purchasing electrical products for their unit ensures that the equipment procured is approved for use in Canada.
It is also important to remember that any item that connects to electrical equipment must be approved. If you are unsure if a piece of equipment within your unit is approved or not, please contact RP Ops Customer Service (local ext. 4444) to have the electrical department evaluate the equipment. If equipment is found to be non-compliant, it will require a field evaluation by an approved agency.
Additional information on approval labels/general electrical safety guidelines can be found on the Electrical Safety Authority electrical products webpage or the Government of Canada’s electrical product safety webpage.
