In the News: December 19, 2022
Consumer Safety Board (CPSC) To Weigh Regulations On Gas Stoves
December 14, 2022, The Hill
The U.S. agency in charge of making sure the country’s consumer products are safe will weigh regulations on new gas stoves, one of the board’s commissioners said recently. Richard Trumka Jr., a commissioner on the Consumer Product Safety Commission said during a virtual webinar that the commission will put out a formal request by March for information on hazards associated with gas stoves and possible solutions.
Analysis: New Furniture Tip-Over Guidelines Are Causing Industry Chaos. Here’s What To Know
December 14, 2022, Business of Home
In October 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued new mandatory federal safety standards for the furniture category and gave manufacturers until May 24, 2023—exactly 180 days after the original ruling—to put the new measures in place. The CPSC’s new guidelines replace the current voluntary standards, which were set forth by ASTM International (the American Society for Testing and Materials), a third-party organization that has given manufacturers an optional way to self-police their products.
When Leaders Struggle With Collaboration
December 2, 2022, Harvard Business Review
It’s not uncommon for talented leaders to find collaboration unnatural. After all, rugged individualism set them apart and propelled their careers. And for many, that same focus on distinguishing themselves later becomes their demise. If you’re a leader who struggles to collaborate with your peers, you first need to understand why that is, then work to develop that skill.
New Zealand: Charges Filed Over ‘Unsafe’ Magnetic Puzzle Toys
December 15, 2022, 1News
Kiwis are being reminded by the Commerce Commission to be vigilant about toy safety this Christmas, after two companies were charged with supplying non-compliant toys. The commission alleges the companies supplied the magnetic toys despite being subject to an unsafe goods notice which prohibited the sale of small high-powered magnets sold in sets of two or more due to the safety risk they pose.
Opinion: Bosch Urges US To Adopt Stricter E-Bike Regulations That Helped It Dominate European Market
December 14, 2022, Electrek
Compared to Europe’s strictly regulated electric bicycle market, the US has fewer restrictions on e-bikes. Bosch, one of the leading electric bicycle drive system manufacturers in Europe, hopes to see that change through the implementation of tighter safety regulations. Bosch would like to see CPSC also cover e-bike safety standards in a more effective way, similar to the manner they have approached other products like hoverboards.
Alliance At Work In D.C. Area To Offer 2023 Certification Education Program For Industry Product Safety Professionals
December 16, 2022, EINnews
Product safety professionals and academic leaders join forces in an educational program that enables industry professionals to earn the designation Certified Product Safety Professional™. The program begins with an opening workshop held on March 22 & 23, 2023 at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington, Virginia. The 12-week program is a hybrid of on-campus opening followed by a webinar section featuring weekly topics in the risk management and regulatory compliance areas. The program’s instructors include industry, academic, regulatory, and consulting experts.
I-TEAM: How Toys From 3rd-Party Sites Could Hurt Your Child
December 13, 2022, WRDW
This holiday shopping season might be a challenge for parents. From game consoles to dolls, some toys are hard to find due to shipping delays and fewer imports coming into the U.S. Shoppers are turning to third-party sellers to find those hard-to-get items. But as the I-TEAM warns, buying toys from third-party websites could endanger your child. Emergency rooms across the U.S. reported more than 200,000 toy-related injuries in 2021. The U.S. government recalls toys that are unsafe for children. Even though it’s illegal to sell recalled toys, we found dangerous toys easily available to buy.
Wisconsin Regulators Move Ahead With Groundwater PFAS Rules
December 14, 2022, Winchester Start
Wisconsin’s natural resources board voted unanimously to proceed with regulating so-called forever chemicals in the state’s groundwater, 10 months after a plan was scrapped under pressure from the state’s powerful business industry. The vote to move ahead with developing limits on four types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS chemicals, came after the board in February adopted standards for surface and drinking water.
UK: B&M Recalls Toy For Babies Amid Choking Hazard Fears
December 12, 2022, Chronicle Live.co.uk
A toy for babies has been recalled by retail giant B&M after officials found the product could cause children to choke. The Office for Product Safety and Standards said: “The product presents a risk of choking as the tags on the ball detached causing damage to the seams, giving access to the inside of the toy. Inside the toy there is a small ball shaped rattle which fits within the truncated cylinder. A young infant may put the small part into their mouth and choke.
CPSC Report Finds More Than 150k ER Visits Last Year Were Linked To Holiday Toys
December 15, 2022, Aboutlawsuits.com
The Consumer Product Safety Commission published the results of its annual Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries Report on November 21, detailing hundreds of thousands of accidents and injuries experienced last year due to holiday mishaps. More than 152,000 children were treated in emergency rooms in the U.S. in 2021 for toy-related injuries, most occurring to children younger than 15 years old. According to the report, most incidents are linked to unsafe toys, with scooters being linked to the most injuries for children in that age group.
Large NYC Co-Op Considers Ban On E-Bikes In Response To Battery Fire Fears
December 15, 2022, The City
One of the biggest co-ops in the city, with 700 units and a dominating presence in West Chelsea, is also in the middle of a new and growing debate about banning e-bikes from residential properties due to fear about them sparking fires. The number of fires started by the lithium-ion batteries that power these now ubiquitous vehicles has spiked to nearly 200 so far this year, way up from 44 just two years ago, according to the FDNY.
