Master Electricians Australia (MEA) has issued an urgent safety warning to homeowners across the country, following the recall of an electrical cable by a major Australian retailer.

MEA chief executive Malcolm Richards said the product recall of a Masters Home Improvement electrical cable raised serious electrical safety concerns for the general public.

Pointing out that the faulty product had been sold at national chain Masters Home Improvement from April 2012 to August 2013, Mr Richards urged homeowners to check the Federal Government’s product safety recalls website to ensure their cables had not been deemed unsafe by regulators. 

He explained that the fault with the recalled cable has been identified with the insulation and sheathing compound of the cable and may only be detected with testing. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that anyone who has purchased cables from Masters Home Improvement since April of last year have an electrician check them as there is a high risk of electric shock or fire.

Mr Richards said homeowners should always be cautious when purchasing electrical products, even from well-known Australian retailers. One could always have qualified electrical contractors supply items such as cables and associated hardware as the warranty of the products they install will be managed by them.