Green Bay Police: Toddler Died After Getting Tangled In Bedroom Blinds Cord
July 25, 2023, First Alert 2
Green Bay police say the death of a 2-year-old last week was an accident. The toddler was found tangled in the pull cord of bedroom blinds. The Brown County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the case an accidental death from asphyxiation. The police are reminding parents and caregivers to take precautions to keep dangling cords out of children’s reach or invest in cordless window coverings. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says an average 9 children under the age of 5 are fatally strangled every year in window coverings with cords, including blinds, shades and draperies.
Amazon Will Now Warn Consumers Of Recalls And Product Safety Alerts Related To Their Orders
July 25, 2023, TechCrunch+
Amazon introduced a new feature that will allow consumers to be better informed about potential product safety alerts and recalls. Now, instead of having to seek out product recall information through third-party websites and other news sources, Amazon shoppers will be able to access a new “Your Recalls and Product Safety Alerts” page that will be linked on the top of their “Your orders” page and shared with customers via email. When consumers click on the banner or the emailed link, they’ll be directed to a page where they can read more details about the potential safety hazards of products they’ve purchased and review their options — like refunds, returns and repairs.
It’s Ok To Fail, But You Have To Do It Right (Video Presentation)
July 28, 2023, Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson is probably best known for her work on psychological safety in the workplace. She has authored a number of books, including the forthcoming Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well. She spoke with HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius about the right–and wrong–ways to fail. Experimentation and risk-taking are crucial for an organization’s success, but failing twice in the same way is probably a mistake.
European Commission Proposes Updated Safety Regulations For Toys
July 28, 2023, UPI
The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, proposed new expanded safety regulations to prevent the importation and sale of dangerous toys, particularly those containing toxic substances. “The proposal not only maintains the current prohibition of substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMRs), but it also prohibits the use of other harmful chemicals in toys,” the European Commission said. The proposed regulations will require all toys sold in the European Union to have a digital product passport, which will be checked at EU borders.
Consumer Reports: Pediatricians Warn That Weighted Baby Blankets, Sleep Sacks, And Swaddles Are Not Safe
July 26, 2023, Consumer Reports
Weighted blankets have become popular with adults suffering from insomnia or anxiety, who say that the product’s comforting pressure makes sleep come more easily. That’s raising alarm among pediatricians and many product safety experts, including those at Consumer Reports. The Consumer publication says that these products are being sold with no safety standards in place and little to no evidence that they’re safe. Last month the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission that these weighted products should never be used for babies.
Tyco To Stop Making Firefighting Foam With Toxic Chemicals Next Year
July 24, 2023, PRNewswire
Amid an increasing number of firefighter foam lawsuits and mounting regulations seeking to restrict exposure to so-called “forever chemicals,” Tyco Fire Protection Products has made a decision. The company will stop making and selling aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) that contains toxic PFAS chemicals by this time next year. Tyco has announced plans to end the sale of fluorinated firefighter foam products by June 2024. The company has indicated that it plans to create a new “portfolio” of non-AFFF products, which it claims will be just as effective at fighting fuel-based fires.
CE Marking: What Is It And Does My Business Need One?
July 26, 2023, West Virginia Development Office
The CE marking is a label, but it’s not just any label. This mandatory regulatory marking for certain products signals that your business is committed to delivering safe and reliable products that meet essential safety, health and environmental requirements defined by EU regulations. Compliance with CE marking standards is not only essential for your product to have successful market access but necessary to build consumer trust in the EU. Think of it as a key to getting your product into the European market. Exporters should note that not all products require a CE marking and that it is illegal to affix the mark to other products. Here are some products that require a CE marking.
As E-Bikes Proliferate, So Do Deadly Fires Blamed On Exploding Lithium-Ion Batteries
July 27, 2023, Associated Press
Consumer advocates and fire departments, particularly in New York City, are urging the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish mandatory safety standards and confiscate noncompliant imports when they arrive at the border or shipping ports. This, they say. would keep unsafe e-bikes and poorly manufactured batteries from reaching streets and endangering homes. During a forum focused on e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries held at the CPSC office in Bethesda, Maryland, the commission’s chair, Alexander D. Hoehn-Saric, said it was an “urgent moment” that requires attention. “Voluntary standards are not enough,” he said, siding with fire officials and other safety advocates who expressed broad support for mandatory standards for batteries and electrical systems in micromobility devices.
Public Comments Skew Toward Eliminating Coaster Brake Requirement For Kids’ Bikes
July 25, 2023, Bicycle Retailer
A 60-day comment period has ended, giving interested people an opportunity to weigh in on whether federal bicycle safety requirements – in particular a requirement that sidewalk bikes have coaster brakes — are outdated. The prevailing opinion of commenters is the coaster brake inhibits kids from learning to transition to a hand-brake bike when they’re older. The Consumer Product and Safety Commission staff will look over the 246 opinions expressed online and through the mail before making a recommendation on whether to initiate any changes, a CPSC spokesperson said. A deadline to initiate any changes has not been set, the spokesperson added.
Textile Perspective: PFAS In The News
July 27, 2023, Textile World
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl sub-stances (PFAS), commonly referred to as forever chemicals, have been in the news for years, but the number of news stories seems to have picked up in 2023. As the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) debate continues, textile companies are taking action and moving towards a future without PFAS.
Do You Recall? A Blueprint For Managing Product Recalls
July 25, 2023, JD Supra
While the intention is never to create a product that will be recalled, it is a fairly common occurrence. And while the scope of a recall may vary greatly depending on the product and individual facts at issue, the days following the report of an initial incident often follow a pattern and require quick action. The more efficient and transparent the recall process is, the better the outcome will be for all, which is why it is important to keep a few best practices in mind.
