The Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency Tukes has today published a bulletin concerning the safety of USB chargers. According to the Agency, most of the chargers tested show serious control deficiencies from year to year

. According to the Tukes press release, in the years 2018 to 2020 it has tested a total of 126 USB chargers, of which as many as 105 are were thus deficient and substandard. Serious deficiencies causing electric shock or fire were found in the charger 28. The Agency has also become aware of practical incidents and accidents caused by chargers

. According to the agency, the problems are mainly focused on chargers ordered from outside the EU. The most typical shortcomings are the lack of the required documents, ie instructions for use and manufacturer’s information, which makes the consumer’s position more difficult, for example in warranty situations.

Tukes says that it has already made decisions restricting sales of defective products found in stone-foot shops and has obliged the importer to collect the products from users. However, the power of the agency does not extend to the e-commerce side where it is powerless. Tukes recommends charging the devices under the supervision of their original chargers and safe, for example, out of the reach of children

.Check out Tukes’ list of dangerous USB chargers here

Source: Tukes