Comms experts to Samsung: Pick up the pace
October 19, 2016, prweek.com
Crisis and tech communicators say the response of the South Korean conglomerate to the Galaxy Note7 crisis was too slow to be effective. They blame the company’s hierarchical structure for not being nimble enough to halt the crisis in its early stages, before it discontinued sales and production of one of its flagship products.
Lithium-ion battery dangers means Samsung recall won’t be last
October 19, 2016, The Fresno Bee
The Korean electronics giant wasn’t the first company forced to recall a product due to batteries that had a tendency to catch fire—and it almost certainly won’t be the last. That’s because the lithium-ion battery that powered the Note7 smartphone is also used in a wide variety of other products, including things like cars and homes.
Is Samsung’s S8 set for revolutionary chip? Firm starts mass production of 10-nanometre design that needs 40% less power – and says a mystery launch next year will use them
October 17, 2016, Daily Mail
Samsung’s system chips business has started mass production of semiconductors using a revolutionary 10-nanometre technology to cram more components on a chip. Samsung said a tech product launching early next year will use chips made with its new technology, as rumors swirl that Galaxy S8 could be the first recipient.
ASTM International updates world renowned toy safety standard
October 20, 2016, Thomas.net
After collaboration over 5 years leading experts in and advocates for toy safety have completed major revisions to one of the world’s most widely-used toy safety standards, which will be published as F963-16: Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety. Updates include: new battery safety requirements, soaking and compression tests for magnets and new requirements for materials and toys that could expand if accidentally swallowed.
Losing faith in Korean products, consumers flock to European alternatives
October 17, 2016, Korea Bizwire
With several high profile controversies over toxic chemical content and high electromagnetic wave emissions in Korean products, domestic consumers are flocking to European options instead, in search of safer goods. Electric blankets and air purifiers are two product categories that saw major leaps in EU sales in year-to-year comparisons.
How to tackle Retail’s unique compliance risks
October 18, 2016 JDSupra (NAVEX Global)
Every organization in every industry faces compliance-failure risks (harm to people, reputation damage, shareholder losses, etc.) But the nature of the retail business puts the industry at particular risk for two main reasons: workforce turnover and too little time for training.
Failure to learn from D.C. water crisis led to Flint
October 20, 2016, buffalo.edu
A similar crisis to the Flint water contamination was exposed a decade earlier in Washington, D.C. and it proved 3 times worse than the recent crisis in Flint. But science and activism ended up joining forces in the interest of public health. One culpable public actor according to a scientist/activist at the time: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Releases Strategic Plan for 2017-2021
October 20, 2016, National Law Review (Bracewell LLP)
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (‘CSB”) released its 2017-2021 Strategic Plan after 18 months of development and review. Its goals include driving safety change through independent investigations; achieving change through recommendations, outreach and education; and maintaining an engaged, high performing workforce.
MP calls for national product recall register after spate of fires
October 13, 2016, The Guardian
Members of Parliament are being urged to back a motion expressing “deep concern” about the potential risk posed by white goods such as tumble dryers, dishwashers and fridges, and highlighting the inadequacies of the product recall scheme. Consumer criticism over the handling of a dryer recall has resulted in a push for government approval to introduce a single register for UK product recalls.
Canada-EU trade deal may get scuttled by Walloonia
October 20, 2016, marketwatch.com
A planned trade deal between the European Union and Canada faced fresh resistance from one of Belgian’s 5 regions that must approve any final deal. The Walloon regional government in Belgium has required reassurance that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada (CETA), “will not lower our respective standards and regulations related to food safety, product safety, consumer protection, health, environment or labour protection.”
Brussels knew carmakers gamed emissions tests before VW scandal
October 19, 2016, Irishtimes.com
EU authorities had evidence as early as 2012 of use of temperature controls to game emission tests, raising question over why more was not done to probe the issue before the Volkswagen revelations last year. Transport ministry officials from across the EU were informed of the authority’s finding in May, 2012, but through a spokesman said national authorities rather than the EU are responsible for “enforcing and policing” emissions limits.
