With a key aim to keep the public safe, the Approved Cables Initiative (ACI) is an industry-wide working group, set up in 2010, to address the issue of unsafe, non-approved and non-conforming cable entering the UK marketing place. Seen as a trustworthy and reliable source of information and working with like-minded industry partners, the ACI has an active media communications programme, highlighting how industry can better regulate itself. It has also lobbied for legislative change to fight the growing problem of cheap and often substandard cable imports that could affect public safety. Using existing legislation, the ACI reports its concerns to the Health & Safety Executive and Trading Standards, yet Government cut backs have led to limited market surveillance resources, leaving the onus on industry to manage the issue as best it can. As part of its work, the ACI shares knowledge, experience and expertise and is a member of the eMarket Surveillance Group (EMS) working with BEAMA, GAMBICA, ESCO and LIA supporting Government lobbying on the Strategy of Market Surveillance and Product Safety. To focus attention further the ACI has developed a set of principles which it wants the cable supply industry to adopt. They are: All cable sold and bought for UK installation will conform to British (or relevant European/International) standards; all cable sold and bought for UK installation will be independently third party approved; all wholesalers and distributors will supply certification/approval for all cable they supply and for this information to be available on request; provenance and traceability will be a key purchasing requirement for all imported, distributed, sold or installed cable in the UK; a greater number of standards-led installations will be championed in the UK. Further information about the ACI and its campaign can be found at www.aci.org.uk . For further information contact Sally Neary, Acumen Communications. Tel: 01704834772 Email: [email protected]

• [email protected]
• 02089466978
• http://www.aci.org.uk/