Amazon and eBay have taken offline dozens of carbon monoxide alarms sold on their platforms after they failed safety tests conducted by consumer watchdog Which?.

Which? said three of the unbranded devices, produced in China, consistently failed to sound when carbon monoxide was present and that some of the alarms looked identical to ones that had failed tests in 2016.

They advised anyone owning one of the alarms to get an immediate replacement and to get in touch with the company they purchased it from to request a refund.

Which? said there were flaws in the UK’s current product testing system and that the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) needed to take a more “active role” in identifying products on sale that posed a safety risk.

The Managing Director of Home Products and Services for Which?, Alex Neill said: “It’s extremely concerning that these unsafe alarms were being sold by major retailers.

When household names such as Amazon and eBay are selling products that could put consumers at risk, it is clear more must be done by businesses and the government to proactively identify potentially dangerous products and stop them from entering people’s homes.”

Amazon and eBay delisted the alarms tested by Which? and 50 other identical alarms that were possibly produced in the same place.

According to an eBay spokeswoman, the customers safety was their number one priority and they worked with companies such as Trading Standards to ensure products sold on their platform comply with the law.

“The items flagged by Which? did not comply with the required UK regulations and were removed.

We are working with the sellers of these products to ensure their customers are aware they have been removed from the site.”

Amazon told the BBC sellers who didn’t follow their guidelines could have their accounts removed and the alarms were no longer available on their site.

Carbon monoxide is known as the “silent killer” as it is invisible and odourless.

Story By: Clara Doku/Techvoiceafrica.com