In the News: November 21, 2022
Onewheel Skateboards Linked To 4 Deaths, CPSC Says
November 16, 2022, CBS News
Commuters and thrill-seekers should stay off Onewheel electric skateboards because the products can eject riders, causing serious injury and death, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. At least four people have died from traumatic head injuries after falling from the self-balancing boards made by Santa Cruz, California-based Future Motion, the agency stated.
CPSC Awards More Than $1.1m In Safely Grants Combat Pool And Spa Drownings
November 15, 2022, The Winchester Star
Consumer Product Safety Commission Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) announced three awardees of a grant program aimed at preventing pool and spa drownings, as well as drain entrapments. The state and local governments were selected by CPSC to receive more than $1.1 million in Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP) grant funds. This funding will provide state and local governments with assistance for education, training, and enforcement of pool safety requirements that are intended to save lives and prevent serious injuries.
Make The Most Of Your One-On-One Meetings
Nov-Dec 2022, Harvard Business Review
Few organizations provide strong guidance or training for managers on meeting individually with their employees, but the author’s research shows that managers who don’t hold these meetings frequently enough or who manage them poorly risk leaving their team members disconnected, both functionally and emotionally. When the meetings are done well, they can make a team’s day-to-day activities more efficient and better, build trust and improve employees’ experience, motivation, and engagement at work.
4-Year-Old’s Death Prompts CPSC Warning About “My Bouncer Little Castle” Due To Strangulation Risk
November 16, 2022, Yahoo Finance
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers not to use an inflatable bounce house because it could pose a risk of strangulation. The product is sold online under the name “My Bouncer Little Castle.” According to the CPSC, a 4-year-old boy died after a hoop inside the castle became entangled around his neck.
NYC Council Looks To Take Action On E-Bike Batteries After Deadly Fires
November 14, 2022, ABC News 7
The New York City Council is looking to take action on the batteries used by electric bikes and scooters after hundreds of destructive and deadly fires. The committee discussed various proposals. One of the proposals would require public education campaigns or safety reports. Another would prohibit the sale of some secondhand lithium-ion batteries, or e-bike or scooter batteries without certain seals of approval.
REI PFAS Consumer Fraud Lawsuit Continues Trend Of Similar Lawsuits
November 16, 2022, National Law Review
The first wave of PFAS lawsuits takes direct aim at the consumer products industry. Because of this it is essential that businesses along the supply chain evaluate their PFAS risk. Public health and environmental groups urge legislators to regulate PFAS at an ever-increasing pace. Similarly, state level EPA enforcement action is increasing at a several-fold rate every year.
What Is Reese’s Law? Landmark Legislation To Protect Kids From Battery Ingestion
November 16, 2022, Fatherly
What are button batteries? Parents might not know that button-cell batteries — typically used to power watches, keyless car entry remotes, and other products that require a slim, compact power source — have been one of the more under-the-radar household health hazards for years, potentially leading to major injury or death in kids. But thanks to a law signed by President Biden and passed by both houses of Congress last fall, they should soon become much more difficult for kids to get their hands on accidentally.
Feds Restore Washington State Water Quality Standards For Chemical Discharges
November 16, 2022, Chronline.com
In a reversal of Trump administration policies, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week reinstated federal water quality standards for chemicals discharged into Washington state waterways. The final rule signed recently would ensure polluters stay within federally established levels of chemicals or conditions in a body of water that are not expected to cause adverse health effects.
Common Type Of Clothing Could Be Exposing Millions Of Children To Harmful Chemicals
November 14, 2022, SciTechDaily.com
According to a recent study conducted by scientists at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University and associates from the University of Toronto, the University of Notre Dame, and the Green Science Policy Institute, children who wear stain-resistant school uniforms may be exposed to potentially harmful levels of chemicals.
CPSC Says Parents Should Stop Using ‘Unsafe’ Dockatot Deluxe+
November 14, 2022, The Bump
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is cracking down on the sale of unsafe sleep products under its new Infant Sleep Products Rule, which went into effect in June making it unlawful to sell infant sleep products that don’t meet federal safety standards. The latest product in violation? The DockATot Deluxe+ Dock. The product was determined to be unsafe for infant sleep because it is a flat product that doesn’t have a stand, doesn’t meet certain stability requirements and doesn’t have a side height of at least 7.5 inches, according to the CPSC.
