Inquirer sues safety agency for records on deadly Ikea dresser tip-overs
November 23, 2016, philly.com
The parent company of Philadelphia’s Inquirer has sued the Consumer Product Safety Commission, accusing the agency of withholding public records that could shed light on its investigation into Ikea dresser tip overs and the negotiations that led to a historic recall of 29 million dressers.
What Samsung recall troubles mean for consumers
November 16, 2016, Consumer Safety
The end of 2016 has been a difficult hurdle for Samsung, now looking at two major recalls within the span of only a few months: the Galaxy Note7 smartphone and its top loading washing machine. While the road ahead will be a financial hardship for Samsung, what does it all mean to consumers?
Regulatory burdens on retailers continue to evolve
November 18, 2016, JDSupra (Snell and Wilmer)
Retailers selling consumer products in California, the 6th largest economy in the world, will want to be familiar with recent amendments to the Proposition 65 warning regulations. According to the authors, California “predictably made the law even less consumer and business friendly (but more lawyer friendly.”
U.S. Appeals Court rules that CPSC regulation on size and strength of rare earth magnets sold by Zen is based on factual findings that are incomplete and inadequately explained
November 22, 2016, uscourts.gov
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that the consumer product safety standard banning the sale of magnets by Zen did not follow the requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Act.
CPSC Litigation Guidance and Recommended Best Practices for Protective Orders and Settlement Agreements in Private Civil Litigation
November 4, 2016, cpsc.gov
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has published a litigation guide to provide recommendations for best practices to all parties in relevant litigation related to providing an exemption to protective orders and settlement agreements for reporting information to the CPSC.
Before it blows up: importance of product recall policies
Tuesday, 22 November 2016, scoop.co.nz
Recent global recalls by Samsung for its Galaxy Note7 smartphones and the perceived mismanagement in those recalls has provided a reminder to New Zealand suppliers of the importance of having a clearly defined voluntary product recall policy in place—before a crisis hits.
Park demolishing world’s tallest water slide
November 23, 2016, channel3000.com
A Kansas City water park will shut down the world’s largest water slide in response to an accident that killed a 10-year-old boy in August. “Once the investigation is concluded and we are given permission by the court, (the slide) will be decommissioned—closed permanently and removed from the tower,” the company said. There are an average of 4,423 injuries in US amusement parks each year, according a 2013 study by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Baby product ‘safe list’ launched in Hong Kong
November 16, 2016, gbtimes.com
A comprehensive safe list of baby products tested for higher and safer standards has been launched in Hong Kong for the first time by World Green Organization, a 3-year project by the independent NGO, which will investigate different product categories using a three-defense methodology with three laboratories. New findings will be released 4 times a year.
Exclusive: VW seeks cost-cutting deal by Friday, devil is in the detail; report claims Europe carmakers are cheating more and more on their fuel claims
November 16, 2016, Reuters
Volkswagen is pushing for a cost-cutting deal with workers at its core brand to help fund investment in electric and self-drive cars. The need for a turn around plan at the VW brand has been amplified by the billions of cost it is facing for its diesel emissions standards—this, at a time when European carmakers are allegedly cheating more and more on their fuel claims.
Engineers design new lead detector for water
November 16, 2016, National Science Foundation
A team of engineers at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, has developed a type of “canary in the coal mine” for lead in water. With support from the National Science Foundation, the group designed a sensor with a graphene-based nanomaterial that can immediately detect lead and other heavy metals, including one-time testing of lead in tap water through a hand held device.
