What is the Safety Mark on appliances?

Safety Mark in Singapore: what it means

The Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO) says 33 categories of household electrical and gas appliances and accessories are Controlled Goods. They must be tested to specified safety standards and carry the SAFETY Mark before they can be sold in Singapore.

In short, it is a controlled goods safety mark, not a general quality badge that any product can choose to carry. It is linked to a set list of regulated product types, and it tells you that a product of one of those types went through the required testing before it was offered for sale.

For you as a buyer, three points follow from this:

• The mark is a legal requirement for these product types, not an optional extra.
• The list covers accessories as well as appliances.
• Each mark carries a registration number that you can look up yourself.

It helps to think of the system in three parts: a list of regulated product types, a mark on each registered product and a register where you can look the mark up. The next sections take each part in turn.

What the mark looks like

CPSO describes the SAFETY Mark as the safety logo with the words "SAFETY MARK" and a unique 8-digit registration number. An appliance with a 3-pin plug carries two SAFETY Marks: one on the appliance and one on the plug. The number is worth noting down, because you can enter it on the register.

If you can only find one mark on an appliance with a 3-pin plug, look at both the appliance and the plug again before you decide a mark is missing.

Some people search for it as the spring safety mark; this page uses CPSO's name, the SAFETY Mark.

How to check a SAFETY Mark

You can look up a mark yourself online. CPSO's guide to the SAFETY Mark sets out three checks:

1. Go to go.gov.sg/safety-mark, the Register of Registered Controlled Goods.
2. Enter the product's model number or the 8-digit registration number on the mark.
3. Check that the mark has not expired and that the product details on the register match the item in front of you.

CPSO states that it is illegal to advertise or supply Controlled Goods without the SAFETY Mark, and it asks people to report suppliers. Products that are not Controlled Goods do not need the mark.

So do not expect a mark on everything. CPSO's consumer FAQs explain that general consumer goods, such as toys, furniture and children's products, must still meet safety standards but need no pre-market approval or SAFETY Mark. The mark is something to look for on Controlled Goods, not on every item in your home.

Buying online or overseas

CPSO warns that products bought online or from overseas may not meet Singapore's safety requirements. It suggests checking whether the product has been recalled, and asking the seller two questions before you order:

• Does the product have a valid SAFETY Mark?
• Are its plug and voltage suitable for use in Singapore?

If the seller cannot confirm a valid mark on a Controlled Good, CPSO strongly discourages buying it. There is no assurance that it went through the same testing, and buyers who go ahead do so at their own risk.

A product with an overseas plug may also tempt you to use adaptors. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) warns that overloading power points may lead to over-heating and start a fire, and says not to "piggy-back" multiple plugs into one socket with double adaptors. Our guide on power strip overload covers this in more detail.

After you buy

The mark covers testing before sale, so how you set up and use the product still matters. CPSO's consumer FAQs advise checking it for defects, reading the manual and following the manufacturer's instructions.

Water heaters need particular care. CPSO says instantaneous and storage electric water heaters are Controlled Goods and must carry the SAFETY Mark before they can be sold. A water heater should not be connected to a 3-pin socket outlet; it should be wired directly to the mains through a double pole switch, and CPSO advises hiring a Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW) to make sure it is properly wired. The water heater 3-pin plug safety guide explains more.

For sockets around the home, EMA says not to use cracked or broken power points or extension sockets, and to have damaged ones replaced by an LEW. If you ever get a shock from an appliance, read our guide on electric shock from an appliance.

Where to go next

For more on keeping the electrics in your home safe, work through the home electrical safety checklist. The electrical FAQ answers other common questions, and when a job needs a professional, you can compare electrical companies in the directory.

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