|
 Imitation
is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, but in the case of the Mary Staggs
Detox™ Ionic Foot Bath System, the imitations bear little resemblance
to the quality parts, circuit design and safety features of the Mary Staggs
Detox™ Ionic Foot Bath System. Furthermore, most of the imitations and
other competitive units are not electrically safe for the Australian market, and
other mandatory tests required to be sold legally to the Australian households
or to a commercial business.
What could go
wrong?
The Mary Staggs Detox™ Ionic
Foot Bath Systems retail from $2,350-00. The cheapest
imitation retails for $800-$2,000, and one enterprising Internet web site offers
3 units for $2,200, less than our cost of manufacturing. It's very easy for
someone to make an imitation. All you need is the ability to imitate another
product, a garage workbench, a cheap step-down transformer, a homemade circuit
board, an enclosure, a power cord, some wire and a few strips of metal that go
into the water. Besides the obvious warranty,
durability and reliability concerns that imitations present, we feel there are
some very serious safety issues that makers of these units have not addressed.
A few of those
issues are listed below:
Ø
Electric Shock Hazard - This can result if a poorly
designed
unit is repeatedly overloaded. A thin piece of paper insulation
in the power transformer is all that separates the array output
from the
220-volt AC power line input. If the paper insulator
in the transformer is
overheated repeatedly because the array
has been overloaded, it may fail.
The resulting failure could
expose your client to 220 volts AC with amperages
that pose
an extreme hazard. The Mary Staggs Detox™ Ionic Foot Bath
power
supplies have all relevant Australian Electrical Safety
Approvals.
The power supplies are protected from overload and have
been tested to comply with AU standards for leakage current
and for
electrical shock hazard.
Ø Premature System
Failures - A poorly designed power
supply connected to an array circuit
without a current limiter
will cause the circuit and array to fail
prematurely. The Mary
Staggs Detox™ Ionic Foot Bath Systems are designed to
prevent damage to the control unit under normal operation due to poor water
conditions or operator error.
How can you
tell if an Ionic Detox Foot Spa System for sale in Australia is
safe?
Check for Australian
Electrical Safety Approval Logo's. All three provided below should be
present on any Detox Foot Spa Unit for sale within Australia to ensure complete
safety. Our Complete Systems have an approved Power
Supply with EN 60601-1 and IEC 60601-1 Medical Approved Certifications and
signage.
Several of these companies claim to have CE, EMC, FDD, EMC, CC, and UL
approvals. Ask these manufacturers for copies of their certifications
and or copies of their safety reports - see what they say.
Ask any Australian Company selling a Detox Foot Spa what their
compliance and C-tick certifications are. BEWARE of
anyone selling a system on Ebay or outwith Australia
they will most certainly NOT have any Australian
Electrical Safety Certifications and could be a potential electrical
hazzard to your safety or your clients.
Our Certifications are detailed
below......
Mary Staggs Detox are acknowledged leaders in the Ionic Detox Foot Spa
industry and we are deeply concerned about these safety issues because they
reflect badly on the industry as a whole. Mary Staggs Detox is doing
its the best to educate the consumer and provide guidance in the marketplace for
prospective customers. If you are a practitioner, you must be concerned about
liability. Insurance companies may not cover damages from units out of
regulatory compliance. As an individual user, you need to be concerned about the
physical safety for you and your family.
Our
Approvals, Permits and Compliance
|
The
Australian Telecommunications Authority (Austel) were responsible for issuing
cabling licences, equipment permits and monitoring the conduct of licence and
permit holders for all equipment and components connected to the Australian
telephone network. The Spectrum Management Agency (SMA) was the Australian
Commonwealth statutory agency responsible for the management of
radiocommunications in Australia. On 1 July 1997, the AUSTEL and SMA merged to
form the Australian Communications Authority (ACA). On July
1st 2005, ACA and ABA (Australian Broadcasting Authority) merged to form the
ACMA (Australian Communications Media Authority). The ACMA is now responsible for
technical regulation, consumer issues and licensing of telecommunications and
radiocommunications in Australia. |
|
|
|
|
|
N692 |
|
A-TICK
The A-tick and ACMA supplier code
indicates compliance with Australian telecommunications requirements and that
the equipment can be legally connected to the Australian Telecommunications
Network. Our ACMA supplier code is N692 |
|
|
|
N692 N17350 |
|
C-TICK
A C-Tick mark may also appear on
products which are required to comply with Australian electromagnetic
compatibility requirements and radiocommunications standards. It signifies that
the product may be legally sold in Australia. Our ACMA supplier code is
N692
Since 31 December 1998, all
equipment which requires EMC compliance must be marked with the C-tick and ACMA
supplier code number. The supplier is responsible for holding a Compliance
Folder which contains compliant test reports and a Declaration of
Conformity. |
|
|
|
N5071 |
|
Electrical Safety Compliance &
RCM
Power cords and AC adaptors for use
in Australia must be tested for compliance with state electrical safety
authority regulations. The New South Wales state government department
responsible for electrical safety is The Department of Fair Trading (DOFT).
Other States and Territories also have a department responsible for
issuing Electrical Safety
Certificates. A safety certificate issued in any
State or Territory is recognised Australia wide. The product must be marked with
a valid Electrical Safety Certificate Number e.g. NSW13816 (or N13816) or a RCM
number issued by Standards Australia (SAA) e.g. N5071. C-Tick markings may also
appear on an AC adaptor and show compliance with EMC standards. The RCM
(Regulatory Compliance Mark) may be used as an alternative to show compliance
with Electrical Safety and EMC standards. Our RCM (SAA) number is
N5071. |
| 
