OPSS rejects Amazon-sold cordless drill at border over shock and fire risk

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has rejected a Yongkang Yongchang Electric Tools Co Ltd cordless drill sold via Amazon at the UK border, after rating it a serious risk of electric shock and fire.

The regulator published its product safety report on 6 November 2026. It said the drill's power supply did not give adequate electrical isolation between the mains input and the DC output.

During electric strength testing, OPSS said, the reinforced insulation broke down, which could leave hazardous mains voltages accessible at the DC output.

The mains plug also failed to meet the dimensional requirements of BS 1363 and could not make a secure connection with a socket, the regulator said. It warned this could lead to the plug overheating and igniting, causing a fire.

The product

OPSS described the item as a red and black cordless drill for drilling and driving screws, supplied in a black carry case with a battery pack, power adaptor and accessories. The adaptor is model HGFS210100 and the battery pack is model YC01. The country of origin is listed as China.

The Amazon product identifiers are X001XXUPER and FBA15M1MHGNLU000034. The report carries no brand name for the drill.

OPSS said the product did not meet the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 or the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994. The measure type is recorded as import rejected at border, under Product Safety Database notification number 2610-0235. The case was notified by Local Authority Trading Standards.

The rules it failed

Schedule 1 to the 2016 Regulations sets out the safety objectives for electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits. It requires that persons be adequately protected against physical injury from direct or indirect contact with the equipment, that insulation be suitable for foreseeable conditions, and that the equipment must not produce temperatures, arcs or radiation that would cause danger.

Under regulation 8 of the 1994 Regulations, approval of a standard plug type depends on plugs of that type conforming to BS 1363. An approval lasts seven years, or a shorter period specified in the approval.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says the risk of electrical injury is generally greater at higher voltages and depends on individual circumstances. It says a voltage as low as 50 volts applied between two parts of the body causes a current to flow, and that current passing through the body heats tissue along the length of the flow.

A run of drill reports

The rejection follows three earlier OPSS reports this year on cordless drills sold via Amazon.

On 27 March 2026 the regulator published a serious-risk report on a DayPlus cordless drill, citing electric shock risk from insufficient creepage and clearance distance. That import was rejected at the border and destroyed. The case was also notified by Local Authority Trading Standards.

On 17 August 2026 OPSS reported a FAHEFANA 21V cordless drill as a high risk, saying it could overheat and catch fire and that there was no evidence it had been assessed under relevant UK conformity assessment procedures. OPSS found it did not meet the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008. That import was also rejected and destroyed.

On 11 September 2026 the regulator published a high-risk report on a NUZEKY cordless drill driver, which was fitted with a plug not compatible with UK sockets and did not meet the 2016 Regulations. The import was rejected at the border.

OPSS sits within the Department for Business and Trade and regulates most consumer goods other than food, medicines and vehicles.

The Yongkang Yongchang report is dated 6 November 2026 and records the drill's corrective action as rejection at the border only.