SASO has launched an awareness campaign for two weeks on Tuesday 17 Safar 1436 AH, corresponding to 10 December 2014,to raise the consumer's awareness level on the importance of getting triple electrical sockets conforming with the Saudi standard specifications. That came in line with the mandatory application of the Saudi standard specifications relating to this matter, which began in 2011.
Abdulmohsen bin Mohammed Al-Yousef, Deputy Governor of SASO for Technical Affairs, Spokesman of SASO, explained that SASO began more than five years ago to update and modify the standard specifications of electrical plugs and sockets, to be in line with the global trends in this regard. Therefore, a decision has been issued of His Excellency the Minister of Commerce and Industry in 2010 which obligates all traders, manufacturers, local producers and importers to apply the Saudi standards for plugs and sockets. Furthermore, he pointed out that the decision has been obligatorily applied one year after the date of issue, since then importing or manufacturing any non-conforming plugs or was forbidden.
Stressing that the awareness campaign launched by SASO comes as a response to the reality of the markets in the Kingdom, and after monitoring the presence of a large spread of non-conforming Two-Pole Socket-Outlets and Three-Pole Socket-Outlets. He was also noted that SASO has set up many workshops in fulfillment of its role to educate specialists and whoever is interested in the importance of this field.
SASO has discussed, through these workshops, a number of topics related to the application of Saudi standards for plugs and sockets as; introducing, highlighting the importance and benefits of the application and procedures for conformity assessment .Moreover, SASO's role in contributing to consumer's protection and verifying the application of specifications was discussed, in addition to the requirements of installing sockets according to the Saudi Building Code .
The spokesman has also noted that SASO has held specialized training workshops for regulators participating in the implementation of the resolution issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Customs on applying the standard. In addition, to inform them of the differences between conforming and non-conforming plugs, so it becomes easy for them to monitor poor quality products in the market that are non-conforming with the standards.
Al-Yousef has suggested that three-pole socket-outlets provide higher security and safety rates, as well as that they are in line with global trends in this regard. They are equipped with shutters to protect children and prevent them from reaching the electrified parts, in addition sockets have an earthing terminal to protect people from electrocution. Furthermore, they are fitted with a (FUSE) that bears a current up to 13 Amps and is considered as an additional protection for the electric device. The spokesman added, the Saudi Standard has stipulated that the conforming socket has to include a switch to cutoff electricity completely from electrified parts, and socket holes are deep so that it becomes impossible to touch the poles carrying the electrical current .