Are New Safety Standards On The Horizon For Recliners And Motion Furniture?
June 21, 2023, Furniture Today
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has asked the ASTM International Furniture Safety Subcommittee to develop a performance safety standard to address hazards associated with reclining furniture. In their letter seeking action, the CPSC said the agency is aware of 13 incidents, including seven fatalities, involving children between eight months and five years old, occurring between 2011 and 2021. The incidents demonstrate two hazard patterns, according to CPSC. One is entrapment in the foot-support lift mechanism from beneath the recliner. The second is entrapment in the top of the leg rest while the furniture is in a reclined position, typically when a child slips between the leg-rest and the seat cushion. According to ASTM officials, the organization has agreed to develop the new standard.
Opinion: Why Are Unsafe Products Still Being Used Even After They’ve Been Recalled?
June 21, MarketWatch
America’s product-recall system is broken, exposing consumers to illnesses, injuries and death, according to Theresa Murray, a US consumer advocacy organization official. Recalled products may catch fire, poison people or suffocate babies months years later because consumers didn’t learn about the harm they can cause. When it comes to the products regulated by the CPSC, once the agency decides to act, there’s an enormous obstacle: Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act. Section 6(b) prohibits the agency from publicly disclosing derogatory information about a product unless it has notified the company and waited 15 days.
Start Your New Leadership Role With The End In Mind
June 22, 2023, Harvard Business Review
To successfully step into a new role and set yourself up for long-term success, you must balance “now-forward” planning with “future-back” visioning. That is, you must start with the end in mind, envisioning what you want to accomplish and what needs to happen before for can take the next step. This mindset will empower you to make early decisions that will accelerate your transition, pave the way for long-term impact in the new role and contribute to your continued career growth.
New Jersey Congressman Introduced A New Bill Aimed At Tackling Pool Safety
June 20, 2023, PIX 11
One tragedy is too many, and New Jersey, like many other states, has seen a spike in tragedies involving drowning. That’s why Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., is introducing new legislation in Washington. Rep. Gottheimer is helping to introduce the bi-partisan Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Safety Reauthorization Act to bolster safety standards for public pools and spas. The law goes back to 2008. It requires all public pools to be retrofitted to eliminate entrapment hazards, like underwater drains that can pull swimmers down. “The bipartisan legislation will establish a new director of drowning prevention at the Consumer Products Safety Commission, or CPSC, and expand eligibility for federal pool safety grants,” said Gottheimer.
Ireland/UK: Online And Social Media Companies To Face Massive Fines If They Breach Safety Laws
June 20, 2023, independent.ie
Online and social media platforms will soon have legally binding obligations to make the internet safer or face massive fines under Irish and EU law, the new media regulator has announced. Coimisiún na Meán has set out its plans to enhance online safety and to regulate and support the Irish media sector. The Coimisiún also has responsibility for regulating the many large online platforms and search engines that have an established European HQ here.
Almost 8 Million Baby Shark Bath Toys Recalled After Children Impaled By Fin
June 22, 2023, PennLive
Almost 8 million Baby Shark bath toys have been recalled after some children were impaled by the top fin on the toys. Zuru, the toy maker, recalled 6.5 million Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing & Swim Bath Toys (full-size). Zura also recalled an additional 1 million of a related product, according to an announcement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Zuru is aware of 12 reports of children falling or sitting onto the recalled full-size Baby Shark bath toy, resulting in impalement injuries, lacerations and puncture wounds, including to children’s genital, anorectal and facial areas. Nine of the incidents required stitches or medical attention.”
Test For Humans: How To Make Artificial Intelligence Safe
June 21, 2023, Christian Science Monitor
The drumbeat of warnings over the dangers of artificial intelligence is reaching a new level of intensity. AI researchers have long worried that AI could push people out of jobs, manipulate them with fake video, and help hackers steal money and data. Now, some increasingly are warning the technology could take over humanity itself.
Facebook Marketplace Tops List Of Most Complained-About Online Retail Platforms
June 20, 2023, The Independent
A national survey by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) found that the online giant causes its officers the most concern, as well as being unresponsive or uncooperative when contacted about problem sellers. Facebook Marketplace is the most complained-about online retail platform for selling counterfeit, poor-quality and potentially unsafe goods, Trading Standards has reported.
Summer Has Arrived With Opportunities For Fun — And Danger
June 21, 2023, ConsumerAffairs
What is your favorite summertime activity? Riding your ATV, time at the pool, firing up the grill? All three of those can be fun but — if you’re not careful — hazardous. Fortunately, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has some advice on how to keep everyone safe — especially children.
Why I Always Travel With A Carbon Monoxide Detector
June 22, 2023, AFAR
Although many states require carbon monoxide detectors in private residences, not all hotels are required to have such safeguards in place, according to Kris Hauschildt, founder of the Jenkins Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit that tracks carbon monoxide incidents in U.S. hotels and motels. To be safe, pack your own travel carbon monoxide detector. Look for plug-in models that have battery backup (and don’t forget to pack your plug adapter if you’re traveling abroad). It’s also important to make sure the detector has the UL 2034 mark on its packaging, verifying it meets the safety standard for carbon monoxide alarms in the United States.
