CPSC Warns Consumers About Dehumidifier Fire Hazard; 1.56 Million More Units Recalled
August 16, 2023, Consumer Reports
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers of the risk of fire from dehumidifiers manufactured by Gree Electric. The warning covers 2.5 million dehumidifiers, some originally recalled as long as 10 years ago, as well as an additional 1.56 million dehumidifiers the company recalled recently. Dehumidifiers from the previous recall are potentially associated with four deaths, the CPSC said.
Jury Awards $787 Million To Family Of Child Killed From Being Trapped In Bunkbed
August 17, 2023, Furniture Today
A jury in Ohio has ordered a Vietnamese furniture manufacturer to pay $787 million to a family of a 2-year-old boy, who was killed after he was entrapped in a bunkbed in 2018. The bed, a twin-over-twin bunkbed sold under the name Angel Line, was manufactured by Moash Enterprise Co., a manufacturer of wood furniture based in Vietnam. According to court documents, Ja’Syiah Boone was killed five years ago after he ran up the ladder of the bed and got trapped between the top step and the rail, causing him to have positional asphyxiation. The CPSC recalled nearly 40,000 of the beds on Dec. 22, 2021. They were sold on Amazon, OJCommerce, Walmart.com and Wayfair from March 2016 to June 2021.
What To Do When You Don’t Trust Your Employee
August 17, 2023, Harvard Business Review
Bi-directional trust is a fundamental aspect of a healthy employee relationship; without it, the leader, the employee, and the broader team suffer. In this article, the author outlines five steps to take if you’re in the uncomfortable position of not trusting one of your employees: 1) Separate facts from assumptions and focus on specific problematic behaviors. 2) Identify the specific situations or assignments where you are willing to trust them. 3) Provide feedback on the specific behaviors that are leading to your distrust. 4) Reflect on what you might be doing (or not doing) to contribute to the situation. 5) Ask yourself whether the breach of trust is irreparable.
Statement Of CPSC Commissioner Peter Feldman On Polaris CAP
August 10, 2023, cpsc.gov
“The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Polaris Industries Inc. announced a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to recall two models of off-road vehicles with defective clutches. I voted to adopt this CAP, but I wish we had done so sooner,” the commissioner said.
How Kids Are Being Injured By Ceiling Fans
August 17, 2023, MedicalxPress.com
U.S. emergency rooms treat about 2,300 children annually for head injuries caused by ceiling fans, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission. This, according to data collected between 2013 through 2021.These incidents totaled more than 20,500 over the period, a new study in Pediatrics reports. Lacerations are the most commonly treated injury from ceiling fans, with ER docs tending to cuts in 3 out of 5 (60%) cases, results show.
Sedgwick: Recall Risk Remains Prevalent As U.S. Regulatory Scrutiny Continues Across Industries
August 17, 2023, Sedgwick
U.S. recall activity has returned to pre-pandemic levels based on the latest product recall data, according to Sedgwick Brand Protection’s latest U.S. product recall index report. The current report shows there were more than 850 recall events for the second quarter in a row. Sedgwick’s report analyzes recall data from five key industries.
PFAS In Firefighting Foam (AFFF) And Equipment: State-By-State Regulations
August 16, 2023, JD Supra
Numerous states have either enacted or proposed regulations regarding per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) present in Class B Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (“AFFF”) used for firefighting, or present in firefighters’ clothing and equipment. These regulations typically involve restrictions in four general areas: Discharge or Use Restrictions; Disposal, Storage, Inventory or “Take-back” Provisions; Notification or Reporting Requirements; and Limitations on Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”).
E-Bike And E-Scooter Owners Urged To Check If Chargers Are Appropriate
August 16, 2023, Sky News
E-bike and e-scooter owners have been urged to check whether they are using appropriate chargers to power their devices, so as not to risk a potentially catastrophic fire. If they are not compatible with the voltage of the battery, it risks a process called thermal runway – a self-heating chemical reaction that can quickly prove devastating. To make it easier for people to avoid using something dangerously incompatible, the charity, Electrical Safety First, is calling for a ban on universal chargers that come with multiple outlets to connect to various batteries.
Philippines: Parents Warned Again Buying School Items That May Contain Lead
August 14, 2023, Inquirer.net With the opening of school, BAN Toxics, a watchdog group monitoring toxic products, warned parents to be careful in buying school supplies after market surveillance showed that several school items being sold in Manila had tested positive for lead. The group said it had conducted a “test purchase” of school supplies such as kiddie backpacks, crayons, pastel colors, pencils, pencil cases and water containers. An inspection of the items using an X-ray fluorescence analyzer showed that they had lead content, with kiddie water containers having the highest concentration of 24,500 parts per million (ppm).
Consumer Reports: Popular Blendjet Portable Blender May Pose Risks
August 18, 2023, Consumer Reports
Following an examination of consumer complaints, publicly available reviews, and our own recent tests, Consumer Reports is advising consumers to exercise caution when using the BlendJet 2, a popular portable blender. CR decided to evaluate the blender in its labs this summer based on complaints to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Better Business Bureau, in which BlendJet users reported instances of the blender’s charging wire melting, its battery catching fire, and the blades breaking off under regular use. Consumer Reports put the product through a durability test, and the blender’s blade assembly broke off completely.
