Electrical Safety Advice for Fitness Trackers and Watches

Fitness trackers and watches usage and safety

With the growing popularity of fitness trackers and watches, glancing at your wrist enables you to see if you’re achieving your exercise goals. But as with all gadgets, it’s important to use them safely.

There are lots of types of fitness trackers, with the most popular being specialized wristbands, small rings, and smart watches. You can also get specialised wearable health monitors for measuring glucose levels and heart rate.

The key considerations for electrical safety are charging safely (although some trackers come with coin batteries), and the risk of electric shock from substandard chargers.

There is also the potential for trackers which use bioimpedance sensors for body fat or health metrics to disrupt pacemakers or ICDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators),

Key points

Read the manufacturer's instructions carefully and always follow them.
Protect your fitness tracker from damage and don’t immerse it in water.
Only charge a tracker with the manufacturer’s cable and USB charger from a reputable source.
Do regular checks of the charger plug and socket for burn and scorch marks.
Recycle fitness trackers properly, don’t dispose of them in the general waste or normal recycling.

Buying a fitness tracker

Whichever you choose, buy your fitness tracker and charger from a reputable retailer rather than a third-party seller online, as it may not have passed all the necessary safety checks.
You will find lots of online reviews of fitness trackers but don’t rely solely on these as they can be faked by unscrupulous sellers.
If you have a medical device such as a pacemaker or ICD, consult a doctor before buying a fitness tracker.
Register your fitness tracker so you can be contacted easily if there is a safety recall of your product. It’s also much easier to return a faulty item or order a repair if it’s registered.

Using a fitness tracker safely

Follow the provided instructions carefully and pay close attention to any warnings supplied with the product.
Don’t attempt to alter or manipulate your fitness tracker in any way.
Use only the manufacturer's provided cable to prevent overheating, which can lead to fires or shocks.
Only use a charger from a reputable source as there are many substandard, dangerous chargers available.
Don’t charge a tracker overnight or on flammable surfaces. If a device feels hot or appears to be damaged, stop using it immediately.
Keep your fitness tracker away from water unless the manufacturer has specifically stated the device is waterproof. Don’t submerge the charger in water or use with wet hands.
Don’t attempt to replace the battery. And don’t clean your fitness tracker while it’s being charged.
While charging, if you notice any odd smells or any sparking or smoke, or any swelling, cracks or damage, unplug immediately and contact the retailer and/or manufacturer.

ALWAYS

Do plenty of research first before buying.
Buy from a reputable retailer.
Buy a known and trusted brand.
Buy replacement chargers from the original manufacturer or reputable retailer.
Take old fitness trackers to be recycled properly.

AVOID

Buying from third-party sellers online.
Placing a fitness tracker in water or any other liquid unless the manufacturer states it is waterproof.
Charging a fitness tracker overnight or while you are out of the house.
Using the tracker if you notice any damage, sparks, or it’s hot to touch.
Altering or manipulating your fitness tracker in any way.

Stay safe with electrical products

Check plugs and sockets

Don't ignore burn marks, ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling) sounds, fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping, or if it feels hot to touch.

Unplug and contact the retailer, manufacturer, or a qualified repair technician.

Protect with an RCD

An RCD (residual current device) in your consumer unit (fusebox) protects you from electric shocks if a product is faulty.

If you don’t have RCD protection, use an RCD plug on the socket where the product is plugged in.

Fit smoke and heat alarms

Ensure there is at least one smoke or heat alarm per floor in your property. Fit enough alarms to cover all areas where a fire could start.

Test alarms at least once a month. Replace them every ten years or when the replace by date is reached.

Disposing of a fitness tracker

Don’t throw fitness trackers or watches into the general waste or in the normal recycling.

Most of them contain lithium-ion batteries, so if they are crushed or damaged it can spark a dangerous fire in recycling centres or bin lorries.

They must be recycled properly. Check our guidance on recycling electricals or find out more on Recycle Your Electricals.

Fitness trackers and watches