Product Safety

Lincolnshire County Council Trading Standards Department enforces legislation relating to product safety.

For many years the safety of goods was controlled by regulations made under the Consumer Protection Act 1961. These were made only where a particular problem was identified and only applied to specific items which include fireguards for heaters, oil heaters, prams and pushchairs and stands for carry cots. Subsequently consumer safety legislation and European Directives have extended the range of items covered to include such items as bunk beds, cosmetics, electrical appliances, furniture, nightwear, pedal cycles and toys.

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 now impose a general safety requirement on producers and distributors of consumer goods. Goods sold must be reasonably safe in use having regard to the use for which they are intended and other relevant considerations.

This department is constantly on the lookout for potential safety problems and regularly purchases items for testing, either within our own testing facilities or by external laboratories.

Officers can alert the government to a problem item and they then have the power to withdraw and recall or ban distribution nationally. At a local level the department can issue suspension notices, which effectively ban further sales pending further investigation.

For further information and advice please contact the Safety and Metrology Division (Trading Standards - for Businesses).

Last Updated: 7 October 2009

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