Dana Baiocco Confirmed as Commissioner of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
May 22, 2018, cpsc.gov (prnewswire)
Attorney Dana Baiocco has been confirmed as a Commissioner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). President Donald J. Trump originally nominated Baiocco on Sept. 21, 2017 and she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 22, 2018.
Analysis: Dana Baiocco Confirmed as new CPSC Commissioner
May 23, 2018, Keller and Heckman, LLP
After a lengthy process that involved two committee hearings and a re-nomination, lawyer Dana Baiocco was confirmed by the Senate as commissioner at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for a seven-year term. Baiocco, a Republican, replaces Democrat Marietta Robinson, an Obama appointee whose term expired in October 2017.
U.S. and EU Retailers Release Industry Approach to New Data Protection Regulations to Meet Customer Expectations
May 23, 2018, oaoa.com
The National Retail Federation and EuroCommerce today released a paper that addresses operational challenges retailers in both the United States and the European Union face as they implement programs to comply with new EU data protection regulations while continuing to meet consumers’ expectations for customer service. “There are still many questions about how the GDPR applies to critical areas of retail operations,” the paper said. “Retailers must find appropriate methods for GDPR compliance that further their customer relationships and do not frustrate them.”
Lawsuits, safety experts sound alarm about popular off-road vehicles
May 24, 2018, NBCWashington
In April, Polaris recalled more than 100,000 off-road vehicles for burn and fire hazards. It was the 12th recall covering almost a half million vehicles since 2013. A lawsuit filed last month against Polaris on behalf of 300,000 Polaris owners alleges the company failed to address the root problem of the fires — “a design defect” in the engine called the Prostar. While Polaris would not address the alleged design defect they said “With an unwavering focus on vehicle safety … we’ve invested significantly in the people, processes, and tools that support quality and safety.”
CPSC urges riders to keep All-Terrain-Vehicles off-roads in new public service announcement
May 23, 2018, cpsc.gov
As Memorial Day weekend approaches and the ATV riding season begins, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is launching a new public service announcement, urging riders to keep all ATVs – OFF paved public roads. Every year, there are about 650 deaths and 100,000 injuries involving ATVs, according to CPSC’s Annual Report.
CPSC issues tempered glass safety alert
May, 2018, cpsc.gov
In 2016, an estimated 20,700 injuries associated with glass tables were seen in emergency departments. From 2012 through 2016, there were an estimated 2,300 U.S. emergency department visits associated with shattering glass shower doors. CPSC notes that tempered glass is a technology that is designed to fail safely. Consumer products that use tempered glass should rupture into small, fragmented pieces, and not into larger shards if shattered.
Safety under the surf: Investigating concerns with full-face snorkel masks
May 21, 2018, wtvm.com (FOX News)
Hawaii is dealing with an alarming increase in snorkel-related deaths, which is sparking debate over a relatively new product: full-face snorkel masks. According to the Hawaii Department of Health, there is an average of 18-snorkeling deaths per year in the state. Kosaki tells us so far in 2018, there have already been 12, with half (6) of those involving full-face masks.
Advocate: Group calls for free access to recall code of practice in UK
May 23, 2018, Product Safety & Recall Directory (Linked-in Group)
Following the launch of the “Publicly Available Specification” or Code of Practice on Product Recalls, whose development was sponsored by the UK Government, a review was published March 2018. (link to http://www.rqa-group.com/product-recall-code-launched-for-consumer-products/). Within that, the advocate said that charging £90 for a “publicly available” document that should help industry improve product safety and recall effectiveness was “disappointing”.
Groin pains: Yadier Molina and others spur evolution of athletic cups
May 23, 2918, USA Today
When Yadier Molina got hit in the crotch by a foul-tipped, 102-mph fastball on May 6, the medical personnel at Busch Stadium in St. Louis weren’t the only ones that sprang into action. So did people who manufacture and sell athletic cups. One company mailed Molina one of their protective cups about the same time the St. Louis Cardinals’ All-Star catcher had surgery for a traumatic hematoma.
Product Lifecycle: Achieve the Transparency Consumers Demand
May 22, 2018, Chemical Processing
Consumer advocacy groups have become more and more vocal in recent years in their quest for more transparency. Retail chains have begun to hear the collective clarion call. Wal-Mart recently joined the Chemical Footprint Project, which encourages companies to disclose the chemicals in their products. Similarly, in January 2017, Target declared it would use its market influence to push for full ingredient disclosure throughout its entire value chain by 2020.
