Hair straighteners recalled over electric shock risk

Posted: 23/02/2016

The ‘Fast Hair Straightener: HQT-906’ is being recalled over a risk that it can cause electric shocks due to easily accessible live parts. 

It is understood that the product is manufactured in China, but distributed through online resellers such as Amazon and eBay. 

Electrical Safety First, the leading campaigning charity and technical authority on electrical safety, stated on its website that the product ‘is dangerous’ and advised customers to stop using it ‘immediately’. A link to the Electrical Safety First page with more information can be found here. 

Arran Macleod, a product liability specialist in the personal injury team at Penningtons Manches LLP, says: “Consumers expect items purchased through well respected websites such as eBay and Amazon to be safe. This product is clearly defective in its design and is yet another example of the consumer being let down by manufacturers who have brought a product to market without carrying out sufficient checks to ensure consumers’ safety. 

“If you have purchased a pair of these hair straighteners and suffered personal injury as a result, you may be entitled to bring a claim. Many consumers are unaware of their rights to bring a civil claim against a manufacturer for a defective product. Liability in defective product claims is strict and as long as consumers can establish that the product is defective, and has caused them an injury, they will be entitled to pursue a claim. 

“Although the manufacturer of the Fast Hair Straightener appears to be based in China, if the product was purchased from an EU based supplier, the Consumer Protection Act will allow the consumer to pursue a claim against that supplier.”

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