Some Phillips Hue power tools have been recalled after reports that they carried a shock risk. As reported by The Verge, it appears the dangerous fault occurred when the items were wet.
Recalls for dangerous items can be particularly damaging for a company. We know this from when a number of Amazon Basics items including their portable power banks had to be recalled due to safety concerns.
This all came after a lengthy investigation that hinted that the company did not do enough to investigate safety concerns. It suggested that dangerous items remained on sale longer than they should do.
At least in this situation, Phillips has taken firm actions to recall is faulty products. It may be a damaging situation but by having recalled its dangerous power tools Phillips have taken control of the situation.
Phillips Hue power tools recalled after shock risk
Phillips Hue has recalled the power supplies for the Lily and Lily XL spotlights, the Calla and Calla Large pedestal lights, Econic pedestal lights, and Impress pedestal lights. The company shipped the power supplies to customers between 2018 and 2020 with only select models needing to replace its power supply.
Company officials tried to calm the situation by saying that these supplies may short-circuit due to water leakage “in very rare cases”. However, this will act as little comfort to anyone who owns one of these products.
Signify has set up a website so owners of potentially dangerous products can check if they need recalling. The company will ship a new power supply unit to anyone affected. It estimates that the company sold around 21,000 defective units around the U.S.
A spokesperson did point out that “the possibility of a safety risk is very low”. They said owners would have to disregard installation instructions to cause a problem.
Specifically, the individual said risk only occurs when the item plugs into an outlet without a shock trip function. Then the owner would have to touch the outlet when it was completely underwater.
Legally, Signify does not have to recall the products by law. However, the company says its actions fall in line with “the quality standards our customers expect”.
Overall, the company should probably get praise for the proactive actions it has taken when not legally required to. However, that probably will not fly very well with customers who may own a faulty unit. Do check out the website linked above if you have worries about any of your units just to make sure.