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May is designated as National Electrical Safety Awareness Month by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), and Inspect-It 1st offices nationwide are engaging in activities and programs to raise awareness in their local communities. Each year ESFI designates a theme for its campagin, and this year the organization is focusing on counterfeit electrical products. You may be surprised by the scope of this problem: >More than 1 million counterfeit electrical products have been recalled in recent years. >60% of Americans admit they can't identify a counterfeit product. >Seizures of counterfeit electrical goods rose 43% in 2008. These products pose significant injury, death and property damage hazards in our homes and workplaces. Here are some simple tips to protect yourself: 1. Only buy from established vendors and authorized retailers. 2. Be wary of buying online from unknown companies, especially those in countries such as China. 3. Check for certification marks such as: UL, CSA or ETL-SEMKO. 4. Scrutinize labels and packaging for grammatical errors and inconsistent information as red flags. |