CPSC Recalls More Than 100,000 Residential Elevators In 2021-2022
September 29, 2022, cpsc.gov
As the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced its latest recalls involving residential elevators, it renewed its call for homeowners and vacation rental businesses to address hazards in residential elevators to protect children from harm. Over the past year, CPSC has stepped up its residential elevator enforcement efforts by recalling 117,100 total units across the U.S. to address an entrapment hazard. Most recently, the CPSC issued recalls for Cambridge Elevating and Custom Elevator, citing the danger these devices pose to young children. In the case of Custom Elevator, a 7-year-old child died in 2021, at a North Carolina vacation home, after becoming entrapped in a residential elevator.
Bipartisan Congressional Group Urge Federal Agencies To Investigate Chinese Firm
September 29, 2022, Wisconsin Examiner
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and U.S. Reps. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah, Wis.) and Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau, Wis)) wrote three federal agencies urging action against Man Wah Holdings and its American subsidiary. Their letter to the CSPC states that Raffel Systems LLC was receiving consumer safety complaints because of defective copies of its cup holders made by Man Wah. The defects “included electrical faults that could have exposed consumers to potential safety risks,” according to the letter. It asks the CPSC to investigate whether the knockoff manufacturer broke federal consumer protection laws by not reporting its own “potentially defective and dangerous products” to the agency.
Preventing Burnout: The Demand-Control-Support Model
September 27, 2022, Knowledge at Wharton
Even before the pandemic, ‘burnout’ was labeled an epidemic. It’s the persistent work-related stress that’s exhausting and impairing. In the U.S., over half of employees feel burned out at least some of the time — and it can lead to what has recently been termed “quiet quitting.” Burnout can be prevented and reduced — even in high-pressure jobs. It requires structural and cultural change, and the author’s favorite model is demand-control-support.
Electronics: New Rules For PFAS Chemicals In Canada & U.S.
September 28, 2022, Electronic Products and Technology
Alarmed by recent studies on PFAS toxicity, several U.S. states have implemented laws restricting the sale of articles containing substances from the chemical group. In addition, the U. S. has proposed new rules in its Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Furthermore, the government of Canada is proposing to repeal the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 and replace it with a stricter set of laws.
UK: Call For Ban On Dangerous E-Bike Chargers After Fires
September 27, 2022, BBC News
A London council has called on the government to ban the sale of substandard e-bike chargers.
Hammersmith & Fulham councilor Frances Umeh said the chargers “should never have been available for sale”. An investigation by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First found that dangerous e-bike chargers were on sale via popular online marketplaces.
Opinion: When Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Mislead The Public
September 28, 2022, Bloomberg Law
The American Tort Reform Association writes, “Plaintiffs’ lawyers are relying more and more on traditional and social media to bolster litigation, often pushing inaccurate and baseless claims in friendly outlets. They sometimes partner with so-called experts to provide misleading scientific evidence to support their claims both inside and outside the courtroom. This concerning trend repeats fallacies and influences public perception of cases and the parties on each side.”
New Liability Rules On Products And AI To Protect Consumers And Foster Innovation
September 28, 2022, European Commission
The Commission adopted two proposals to adapt liability rules to the digital age, circular economy and the impact of global value chains. The revised Directive modernizes and reinforces the current well-established rules, based on the strict liability of manufacturers, for the compensation of personal injury, damage to property or data loss caused by unsafe products, from garden chairs to advanced machinery.
Safety Tips For Kids Who Walk Or Bike To School
September 25, 2022, Winona Daily
Children usually aren’t ready to start walking to school without an adult until about fifth grade, or around age 10. Younger children are more impulsive and less cautious around traffic, and they often don’t fully understand other potential dangers they could encounter. By walking with your children to and from school, you can help them learn the neighborhood, teach them about traffic signs, street signs and directions, and model correct behaviors when crossing streets.
AU: Baby Sling Safety Is Under Spotlight – A 5-Point Checklist Can Keep Infants Safe
September 27, 2022, Mirage News
Carrying babies in a soft fabric sling or carrier close to their parent or caregiver has been practiced throughout the world for centuries. However, the recent inquest into the death of a three-week old baby boy in New South Wales has highlighted the potential risks of this valued aspect of infant care.
California Trails Closely Behind The UK To Protect Children’s Privacy
September 28, 2020, JD Supra
Recently signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (“AADC”) changes the playing field for certain businesses that provide online services, products, or features accessible to children under the age of 18. Although California models its new law after the Children’s Code passed by the UK, the AADC is first state law of its kind in the U.S. Once it goes into effect on July 1, 2024, the California Attorney General may fine noncompliant businesses up to $7,500 per affected child.
In Pursuit Of Better Batteries
September 26, 2022, ShowMeMizzou
Missouri University researchers are using a $500,000 grant from National Science Foundation to explore a key technical challenge preventing lithium-ion batteries from achieving optimal energy performance.
CPSC Warns Consumers To Stop Using Go-Bowen Youth All-Terrain Vehicles Due To Federal Safety Standard Violations
September 28, 2022, Yahoo Life!
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers to immediately stop using Go-Bowen’s Sonora, Monster, Sahara-X and Mars youth ATV models because the ATVs do not comply with federal safety standards. Go-Bowen has refused to conduct a voluntary recall of these noncompliant ATVs. CPSC is continuing to pursue a recall.
