Wrong diagnosis of Note7 problem doomed device
October 24, 2016, itwire.com
After first reports of Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones catching fire came in, company executives decided, based on lab reports that showed a bulge in batteries supplied by Samsung SDI, that the bulge was the cause and ordered a recall. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, despite there being no explanation for the bulges, a decision approved by Samsung’s top executive resulted in the recall of all 2.5 million units sold.
Did Samsung’s self-testing of batteries cause crisis?
October 21, 2016, 4-Traders
A new suspect has surfaced in the guessing game of what the root cause was of the faulty Note7 defect – the company’s battery testing lab. Experts, however, warn against jumping to conclusions. Samsung’s lab complies with industry standards certified by the Cellular Telephone Industries Association, which also certifies independent labs used by such major industry players as Apple. “In fact, the Samsung test center is far better than other independent labs in terms of equipment and workforce,” accordingly to one knowledgeable analyst.
Booming or busting: Samsung’s trouble with quality
October 26, 2016, National Law Review (Risk Management)
Since its launch in August, Samsung’s roll out and subsequent recalls of the Note7 have been severely affected by quality and safety issues as a result of lithium-ion batteries overheating and, in some reported incidents, even catching fire. Still, the precise root cause remains under investigation. In the meantime, Samsung has taken a $20 billion hit on their market value, and the company is reported to have said that the recall would cost $5 billion or more, including lost sales. As have some other companies facing multiple recall incidents, Samsung is experiencing heavy costs for this unsolved problem, including the larger reputation issues and larger business income impact.
Family sues Amazon for $30M after hoverboard fire destroys home
October 27, 2016, wrcg-nbc.com
A Belle Meade, TN family is suing Amazon for $30M after their home burned down in January due to a hoverboard that caught fire inside the home. The family reported only minor injuries. The family’s lawsuit claims Amazon was negligent and failed to warn their customers of the nine fires caused by that particular brand. They also say the product was falsely represented on Amazon’s website and did not contain an original Samsung advanced battery as advertised. The family is suing Amazon because the lawsuit claims the board is from a counterfeit company in China.
Preparing for revised warning requirements under California’s Proposition 65
October 25, 2016, National Law Review (Squire Patton Boggs)
Starting on August 30, 2018, warnings for products listed on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm must specifically name “one or more of the listed chemicals in the consumer product or affected area for which the warning is being provided.” The revised regulations call for language to be considered “clear and reasonable” for 1) exposure to listed carcinogens, 2) exposure to listed reproductive toxicants, and 3) exposure to both listed carcinogens and reproductive toxicants. Graphic features are also specified for warning signs, labels or shelf tags.
New redesigned corded window blinds and shades causing injuries and deaths in kids
October 25, 2016, PRRocket
According to the CPSC, corded window coverings are one of the top 5 hazards in America homes, with children ages 14 months up to 8 years becoming entangled in lethal cords in less than 60 seconds. A social advocacy group has issued a news release calling attention to a July, 2016 incident where a 2 year old girl died when she hung on the cord of a horizontal blind that was manufactured in 2015, and passed the most recent “stringent national safety standard” drafted by the industry. The release states that safety experts from the Parents for Window Blind Safety and the CPSC recommend removing coverings that have cords and replacing them with affordable cordless models.
Academics, former regulators, and other scientists challenge WHO cancer agency classification schemes as outmoded
October 26, 2016, marketwatch.com
A group of multi-discipline scientific experts published views in the official journal of the International Society for Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology stating that the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) and United Nationals Global Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling use outmoded hazard-based schemes to evaluate cancer risks to the public. The authors note that these approaches “can lead to unfounded public concerns and reactionary public policies, for example, in appropriately placing consuming red meat in the same category as exposure to mustard gas.”
EPA details possible overhaul to lead contamination law for water
October 26, 2016, upi.com
U.S. environmental regulators are working on changing the quarter-century-old federal law concerning lead contamination in the nation’s drinking water – with the aim of avoiding another crisis like the one in Flint, Michigan. The Environmental Protection Agency released a report that outlines potential plans to overhaul the lead and copper rule, and the erosion of lead and copper containing plumbing materials.
Volkswagen settles emissions scandal for $15 billion
October 25, 2016, PBS
In the wake of its emission-cheating scandal, Volkswagen will pay up to $15 billion in settlements after a federal judge approved the court action. The settlement is the largest for any auto manufacturer scandal in American history, according to the Associated Press.
The German manufacturer will spend up to $10 billion on buying back or repairing customers’ cars, and more than than $4.5 billion on clean vehicle projects and efforts to counter residual emission, Reuters reported.
EU to scrap ecodesign regulations in response to euroskepticism
October 26, 2016, dw.com
The European Commission is expected to scrap plans requiring toasters and hairdryers to last longer and use less energy, which some environmentalists say is a misguided response to Brexit. The Commission says that such regulations are seen as too intrusive to citizens, so it will abandon plans to force manufacturers to make some home appliances use less energy and last longer before breaking down.
