25 September 2009

Ban placed on unsafe chainsaws

An Unsafe Goods Notice, banning chainsaws that do not include the standard safety feature of a chain brake, has been issued by the Minister of Consumer Affairs Heather Roy.

“The Ministry of Consumer Affairs is aware of a number of chainsaws, without a chain brake, being imported and sold. This ban has been put in place as a precautionary measure, because of the safety risks to consumers who may buy and use chainsaws that do not have this feature,” said Martin Rushton, Principal Advisor, Measurement and Product Safety Service, Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

The Unsafe Goods (Chainsaws without a chain brake) Notice 2009 bans the supply of any brand of petrol or electric chainsaw that does not comply with the international standard ISO 6535:2008 Portable chainsaws: Chain brake performance. This standard sets out testing procedures for chain brakes and specifies performance criteria.

"The Ministry is working in co-operation with New Zealand Customs Service, the Commerce Commission and major suppliers on this issue, to make sure that compliance costs are kept to a minimum."

The Unsafe Goods (Chainsaws without a chain brake) Notice 2009 is issued under section 31 of the Fair Trading Act. It is enforced by the New Zealand Customs Service at the border and the Commerce Commission in the marketplace. The ban came into effect for 18 months from 24 September 2009.

Breaches of an unsafe goods notice attract penalties of up to $60,000 for an individual and up to $200,000 for a company.

“Consumers should dispose of any chainsaws they have that do not have a chain brake. The Ministry also encourages consumers to report to the Commerce Commission instances where they see retailers selling chainsaws without a chain brake.

“Retailers stocking this type of product should remove them immediately from sale and dispose of them in a responsible manner," said Martin Rushton.

This ban also includes the sale of second-hand chainsaws that do not have the chain brake safety feature.