Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit has called on the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) to add high-pressure washers to the list of controlled products as soon as possible after a consumer was electrocuted by one of them last month.

“The ministry is committed to protecting consumers from hazardous products,” he said. “Once this is classified as a controlled product, anyone who wants to import or manufacture these washers will have to apply for a TISI permit first, so the institute can test the product for safety and quality, and stop substandard items from reaching the market.”

TISI secretary-general Wanchai Phanomchai added that his institute had set an industrial standard for high-pressure washers in 2009, but it only provided voluntary testing and did not stop untested products from being imported.

“TISI has started revising standards for high-pressure washers after the accident and added mandatory testing based on international standards,” he said. “The TISI board approved the draft of the new standards on September 15 and we expect to officially announce it within this year.”

The new standard is expected to include safety issues such as surge protection, humidity, heat, rust and flame for home- and industrial-use high-pressure washers.