Product recall - Infinity brand TPS and low-voltage electrical cable

The ACCC has advised a product recall on INFINITY branded TPS & Orange Round Electrical Cables (Second Tranche). The recall applies to all INFINITY branded Infinity TPS (flat and flexible) and Orange Round low-voltage electrical cables of all sizes, configurations and models that are polymeric insulated and PVC sheathed/insulated.

They advise that this is the second tranche of recalls announced by suppliers of Infinity cables. The first tranche of recalls can be viewed here.

The cables fail the required ageing tests of AS/NZS 5000.2:2006. The insulation could become prematurely brittle with age. If the insulation becomes brittle and the cables are disturbed, the insulation could break and expose live conductors, resulting in possible electric shock or fires.

Following is a list of traders that sold this product:

• ABC Arian Electrical Suppliers
• George Brown Electrical
• Phoenix Wholesalers
• Titan Trading
• Voltair Electrical & Air Conditioning
• Wholesale Electrical Supplies

A further Victorian supplier and a Queensland supplier have remediated all cable installations and their recalls have been administratively closed.

ACC advises that if you suspect any of these cables were installed in your premises, contact the responsible builder, electrical contractor or appliance installer to confirm whether Infinity cable was used. They will liaise with you, and the cable supplier from whom they sourced the cable, about obtaining remedy under this safety recall. The cable supplier will then arrange for inspection of your wiring and remediation of any installed Infinity cable that they supplied, free of charge to the consumer, under the safety recall.

If you want your wiring inspected, the cable supplier should be given the first opportunity to arrange this. If you are uncertain who the cable supplier is, you can arrange for a licensed electrical contractor to inspect your wiring. Inspection costs are not recoverable from cable suppliers if Infinity cable was not installed or if the cable supplier cannot be determined.

If you have any unused or removed Infinity cable then return this to the cable supplier for a full refund or replacement.

This safety recall is to remedy all installed Infinity cable supplied by the listed cable suppliers as follows:

1. The removal and replacement of all Infinity cable installed in proximity to heat sources including but not limited to recessed lighting, heaters, ovens, stoves, hot water systems, spas, in-floor heating, air conditioners, gas appliances, flues and chimneys, wood heaters and oil heaters.
2. The removal and replacement of all cable installed in areas that are accessible to building owners, tradespeople or the public, unless the cable is laid in an appropriate cable conduit or other suitable mechanical protection. “Accessible areas” explicitly include all accessible roof spaces and accessible spaces under floors. An “appropriate cable conduit or other suitable mechanical protection” is electrically non-conductive, flame retardant (or self-extinguishing) and with appropriate ingress protection (IP) rating that prevents access to the cable inside.
3. Any Infinity cable left installed in appropriate cable conduit or in inaccessible wall, floor or ceiling spaces or embedded into a masonry wall surface must have an appropriate electrical safety switch (residual current device) installed and tested on that cable, if such a device is not already installed and tested.
4. Any premises with Infinity cable left installed must have an appropriate warning sticker affixed to the relevant electrical metering/switch box alerting building owners and tradespeople to the presence of inaccessible Infinity sourced cable.

The safety recall addresses the safety of the installed cable. Consumers with concerns about the quality of Infinity cable that remains installed may have rights under state and territory electrical safety and/or building legislation, and under the consumer guarantees of the Australian Consumer Law. For further information, see productsafety.gov.au for details relevant to each state and territory