(SafetyAlerts) Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) notifies consumers, electricians, contractors and manufacturers that the GFCI described below does not meet current UL requirements and may pose a fire or electric shock hazard to users. UL encourages users to stop using the GFCI immediately and return it to the place of purchase. This information below supersedes UL's Sept. 16, 2003 public notice.

Name of product: Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Rated 15 or 20 Amps, 125 volts.

Units: More than 135,000.

Manufacturer: Shanghai Meihao Electric, Inc of Shanghai, China. The GFCIs are sold under the product name of The Designers Edge, People International Business Inc., Preferred Industries and USI Electric, Inc. UL believes the product may have been sold under other names as well.

Date of manufacture: January 2003 to August 2003.

Hazard: The GFCI may not trip when a ground fault is present, resulting in a risk of electric shock. The GFCI may pose a fire hazard when subjected to a voltage surge commonly associated with a lightning strike.

Identification:

On the GFCI: There will be a File Number and the date code "2003 X," with the "X" representing a number from 1 to 30. Checking the file number and date code is the best way to determine if the product in your home is subject to this public notice.

On the packaging: The Company Name and Part Number (see below)
 

The UL Listing Mark and the UL Mark for Canada may appear on the product and packaging. The UL Listing Mark and UL Mark for Canada is not authorized and the product is not considered Listed by UL or, its affiliate, Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC).

Consumer Contact:

Sold at: Electrical distributors and home centers since January 2003.

Remedy: If you believe that you may have a GFCI identified in this notice, return it to the place of purchase. If the GFCI is already installed in your home, stop using it immediately, contact a qualified electrician to verify the marking and date code, and have it replaced with a similarly rated UL Listed GFCI.

For technical inquiries from manufacturers, retailers, distributors and inspection authorities, please contact: Donald Ackerman, Field Reports Department, Tel: +1-847-664-2907 E-mail: Donald.H.Ackerman@us.ul.com.

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that has evaluated products, materials and systems in the interest of public safety for 108 years. More than 17 billion UL Marks appear on products each year, and more than 18,000 types of products are tested at UL's five U.S. laboratories. Worldwide, the UL family of companies and its network of service providers include more than 47 laboratory, testing and certification facilities.