CPSC: Commissioner Bob Adler is selected as new Vice Chair, making him Acting Chair
September 15, 2019, Mintz, Levin
On September 13, it was confirmed that Commissioner Bob Adler was elected Vice-Chairman of the CPSC. Because there is no permanent CPSC Chairman at this time, Commissioner Adler will become the Acting Chairman of the agency until a permanent Chairman is confirmed. Commissioner Adler—a Democratic Commissioner—has served on the Commission since 2009. Commissioner Adler was chosen by majority vote of his fellow Commissioners. The election of a Democratic Acting Chairman is a surprising choice for a Republican majority Commission.
Trump delays increase in tariffs on Chinese goods by two weeks ‘as a gesture of good will’
September 11, 2019, The Washington Post
President Trump said on Twitter that he would delay by two weeks the next increase in tariffs on Chinese goods as a “gesture of good will” to advance trade talks that have made little progress for months. The president acted several hours after a conciliatory Chinese move to grant 16 U.S. products a one-year exemption from Beijing’s retaliatory tariffs.
Interior Secretary Bernhardt orders e-bike access on federally-owned land
September 2, 2019, Digital Trends
Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt signed an order that allows ebike access on federal land. Effective immediately, ebike riders can travel anywhere conventional bicycles are allowed on federally managed public lands. The purpose of the order is “to increase recreational opportunities for all Americans, especially those with physical limitations, and to encourage the enjoyment of lands and waters managed by the Department of the Interior.”
Here’s what to watch out for if you have an infant walker
September 11, 2019, WTMJ-TV Milwaukee
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recognizes September as National Baby Safety Awareness month, making now a good time for parents to take stock of toys or products they have in the home that might be unsafe. Researchers say for one, infant walkers are still sending two-thousand babies a year to the emergency department, despite federal safety standards and years of warnings. It’s exciting for parents to watch their babies up on their feet, but infant walkers with wheels are toys that emergency room doctors and pediatricians have come to hate.
Scooter companies crack down on underage riders after 9 year old Omaha boy is injured
September 11, 2019, Omaha World Herald
Scooter companies serving Omaha scrambled Wednesday to make it harder for people under age 18 to rent an electric scooter. Spin and Lime agreed to require people renting scooters to verify their age using a driver’s license, as they do in some other cities.The changes, which will be in place for both companies by Thursday, came after a 9-year-old boy was seriously injured this week on a Spin scooter on Florence Boulevard.
Amazon allows some toys to go on sale before asking for proof of safety compliance
September 11, 2019, CNBC
Amazon says toy sellers have to be safety compliant if they want to sell on its marketplace. But some sellers are not asked to submit safety documents until weeks after they start selling, leaving Amazon’s marketplace open to potentially unsafe products, CNBC has learned. Amazon reached out to a group of new toy sellers in recent weeks, asking them to submit the “required safety documentation” for toys that were already available for sale, according to an email seen by CNBC.
ASTM highlights women’s role in standard making
September 10, 2019, Materials Today
ASTM International has launched a new video highlighting the growing role of women in developing technical standards. The video has been developed by the organization’s president, Katharine Morgan. ASTM says that it has also named six new board members for 2020, five of whom are women. The nominees include:
Francine Bovard, a senior technical specialist with Arconic, a company which engineers and manufactures lightweight metals;
Bonnie McWade-Furtado, an associate research and development scientist at Cabot Corp, a specialty chemical and performance materials company;
Carol Pollack-Nelson, PhD, owner of Independent Safety Consulting LLC, which specializes in consumer product safety.
A sixth person died from vaping-related lung disease. Here’s what you need to know
September 12, 2019, CNN
A sixth person in the United States has died from lung disease related to vaping, Kansas health officials said Tuesday. The woman was older than 50 and had a history of health problems. She became seriously ill shortly after she started using e-cigarettes and her symptoms progressed rapidly. It’s not clear what type of vaping products she used, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said. The death marks the first in the state, but raises even more concern about the safety and regulation of e-cigarettes.
Oregon agency supports flavored e-cigarette ban, businesses prepare
September 13, 2019, KOBI5.com
The Trump administration’s proposed federal ban on flavored e-cigarettes has received the support of Oregon’s state health agency. The Oregon Health Authority weighed in on the health concerns surrounding vaping and e-cigarettes and announced on Thursday it supports the ban. Some retail businesses in the Rogue Valley focused on selling flavored e-cigarettes are now preparing for the worst. “90 percent of our products are all flavored products,” said Derek Van Horn, owner of Stone Cold Vapors in Medford.
Letter: Today’s marine safety steps don’t address battery fires
September 11, 2019, The Mercury News
Re: “How could a fire incinerate a 75-foot dive boat so fast?” (Eastbaytimes.com, Sept. 3):
The Conception fire may be due to a collision between outdated safety standards and new technology. I have dived aboard both the Conception and Vision. They had fire extinguishers, fire hoses and engine-room fire suppression. Cooking was electric; the galley was thought low risk for fire. Lithium ion batteries and chargers have made the galley high risk.
