Product safety reportOPSS
Diferro Calenders - Sublimation Calender Presses safety warning over a fire risk
Product Safety Report for Diferro Calenders - Sublimation Calender Presses – All Models featuring a sealed oil-filled heated drum – Including DP-series, MP-series, DM-series, DE-series, DR-series, DX-series, DF-series presenting a serious risk of explosion and fire.
Product image from the OPSS safety notice 
What to do now
Diferro Calenders - Sublimation Calender Presses could overheat or catch fire.
- Stop using and charging it now, and unplug it.
- Keep it somewhere cool and clear of soft furnishings. Never put lithium batteries in the household bin.
- Because the product was found unsafe on an online marketplace, use the platform’s order page to contact the seller.
- If you cannot reach the seller, Trading Standards can be told through Citizens Advice.
Why it matters. Faulty chargers, batteries and appliances are a common cause of house fires. A fire can start while the product is charging or switched on and nobody is watching.
If someone has been hurt
Look out for
- make sure you have working smoke alarms
Get help urgently
- if it starts to smoke, smell of burning or catch fire, get everyone out and call 999
This is general information based on NHS public guidance, not medical advice. In an emergency call 999. For urgent advice use NHS 111 (NHS 24 on 111 in Scotland) or, in Northern Ireland, your GP or out-of-hours service.
Getting your money back
A product safety report usually means the product was bought online and the marketplace has removed the listing. Ask the seller for a refund through the platform where you bought it; many marketplaces have their own buyer protection.
If you paid by credit card and it cost over £100, Section 75 may apply; otherwise your bank may be able to raise a chargeback.
From the official notice
Published by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (2402-0018). Quoted as issued.
Summary
Product Safety Report for Diferro Calenders - Sublimation Calender Presses – All Models featuring a sealed oil-filled heated drum – Including DP-series, MP-series, DM-series, DE-series, DR-series, DX-series, DF-series presenting a serious risk of explosion and fire.
The risk
Sublimation calender presses within the scope of the corrective action have been identified as presenting a serious risk of explosion and fire.
Two catastrophic Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE) incidents have now occurred involving Diferro machines. Evidence suggests that in both cases the machines had been left unattended and connected to the electrical power supply and that uncovenanted and uncontrolled heating of the oil-filled drum has occurred. The built-in temperature control system has then also failed to operate to prevent overheating and over-pressurisation of the sealed drum (roller). No external source of heat has been present to cause the overheating of the oil-filled drum.
There is potential for system control failure to result in unplanned uncontrolled heating of the oil-filled drum at any time when the machine is connected to the electrical power supply, including when left in standby mode after the normal cool-down cycle has completed and when using weekly programme function (timer mode). If the machine is unattended when this occurs failure to promptly shut down and isolate from the power supply may result in overheating and catastrophic failure of the drum and a BLEVE. The potential explosion and any subsequent fire is likely to cause catastrophic damage to the building and its surroundings, with potential for multiple fatalities and significant property destruction.
The original Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) within the control system of these calender presses does not meet any required safety performance level. There is no independent secondary temperature monitoring and control system.
The product does not meet the requirements of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008.
Advice to consumers
GB suppliers have been asked to stop selling Diferro calender presses containing a sealed oil-filled heated drum until further notice.
GB suppliers have previously been asked to inform all persons supplied with Diferro calender presses containing a sealed oil-filled heated drum (DP-series, MP-series, DM-series, etc), that until further notice:
These machines must not be operated using the weekly programming function.
These machines must not be left unattended whilst connected to power.
In light of a second explosion the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are now updating advice to users of all Diferro calender presses with a sealed oil-filled drum.
The HSE instructs users to cease operating these machines until a second, independent Safety-Related Control System (SRCS) has been fitted. The second SRCS is required to monitor the calender’s drum temperature and must be designed, installed, and validated in accordance with safety standard BS EN ISO 13849 Parts 1 and 2. Details of the requirements are given in Appendix 1. Appendix 1 is included in the PDF linked above.
Users will also need to implement systems of work to ensure that the primary control system and this secondary SRCS are maintained and tested at appropriate intervals. The machine should be taken out of operation in the event of any anomalies in temperature monitoring/control or upon activation of any alarms or the secondary SCRS. Use should only resume after the cause of the alarm or SCRS activation has been established and rectified.
If users deem the continued operation of these machines to be essential whilst they arrange installation of a second SCRS, they must ensure that the machine is attended and monitored at all times when connected to the electrical power supply. This includes standby, pre-heating, normal running, and the cool-down cycle stages. Details of the precautions and system of work required are given in Appendix 2. Appendix 2 is included in the PDF linked above.
The interim measures described in Appendix 2 are considered to be short-term emergency arrangements which, if correctly implemented and managed will reduce the likelihood of fire and explosion, but cannot be relied upon as a long-term solution.
The installation of the SCRS should be completed immediately, and no later than six weeks from the issuing of this alert.
HSE has contacted all known users to share the original product alert (04/04/24) and will continue to share all revisions to this alert.
If you own or operate a Diferro calender press with a sealed oil-filled heated drum and have not been contacted by HSE, or if you have any questions about this Product Safety Report, you can contact HSE by completing an enquiry at https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/ask-us-about-health-and-safety.htm
Open the OPSS notice
Questions
Why has Diferro Calenders - Sublimation Calender Presses been reported?
Diferro Calenders - Sublimation Calender Presses could overheat or catch fire. Faulty chargers, batteries and appliances are a common cause of house fires. A fire can start while the product is charging or switched on and nobody is watching.
How do I know if my product is affected?
The notice describes the affected product rather than listing codes. Compare the product name, pack size and where you bought it with the official notice.
What should I do now?
Stop using and charging it now, and unplug it. Keep it somewhere cool and clear of soft furnishings. Never put lithium batteries in the household bin.
Can I get a refund or a repair?
A product safety report usually means the product was bought online and the marketplace has removed the listing. Ask the seller for a refund through the platform where you bought it; many marketplaces have their own buyer protection. If you paid by credit card and it cost over £100, Section 75 may apply; otherwise your bank may be able to raise a chargeback.
