Australia’s consumer product safety regulator, the ACCC Product Safety, has issued a recall notice for a plug-in portable wall heater.
The Ozzi Heat wall heater being recalled was sold on the Ozzi Mozzie website from April 27, 2024, to September 22, 2024.
The ACCC noted that the product has integral plug pins that directly insert the heater into socket-outlets and that it does not meet Australian Standards.
It says that there is a risk of serious injury from burns if the heater causes wall fittings, socket outlets or fixed wiring to overheat and catch fire.
It urged consumers to stop using the heater immediately. Affected consumers should contact Ozzi Mozzie ([email protected]) to arrange a return of the product and receive a full refund.
The ACCC’s product recall comes months after consumer advocacy group Choice reportedly notified the ACCC about the safety failures of some plug-in electric heaters.
Choice said that its UK counterpart conducted safety tests on 10 of these plug-in heaters and found that every single one failed their safety tests, with four presenting a risk of fire, and one even presenting a risk of explosion due to counterfeit fuses.
Choice says it contacted the ACCC in February 2023 about these dangerous heaters.
“Late in 2023, the electrical safety and performance standard for electric heaters was updated to effectively prevent these mini heaters from being certified safe. That means that they can’t be sold in Australia,” said Chris.
Amazon and eBay reportedly then took steps to look into the sales of these devices on their respective platforms after they were contact by Choice.
The ACCC’s Product Safety’s latest notice effectively offers an overall ban on the Ozzie Heat wall heater being sold online (or in-store) across Australia.