CPSC Chair Hoehn-Saric Focuses On Online Marketplaces At ICPHSO International Conference
October 27, 2023, Retail & Consumer Product Law Observer
CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric gave a keynote address to the International Symposium of the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO) in Almhult, Sweden. Hoehn-Saric focused his remarks on his stated goal for the third year of his term as chairman of the agency—addressing recalled or otherwise violative products sold on or through online marketplaces. In Hoehn-Saric’s view, consumers expect to purchase safe products on online marketplaces. He believes they should not need to know or discern whether a product is purchased directly from an online retailer or from an entity that has been provided access to consumers through the online platform. He complemented collaborative improvements by Amazon, eBay and Target but issued a call to action including adoption of “safety by design “and legislative and regulatory protections.
Sen. Ossoff Demands Answers About Baby Bib And Blanket Safety Following Recalls
October 24, 2023, Sen. Jon Ossoff
Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) is demanding answers about the safety of baby bibs and blankets following a recent recall. Little Sleepies recalled their “Sleepyhead Loveys” and “Bandana Bibs” due to potential choking hazards. Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with Little Sleepies CEO, Maradith Frenkel, demanding answers in three areas: 1) About the safety of their products, 2) What they are doing to insure the safety of other products being sold, and 3) What will be done to prevent dangerous oversights like this happening again.
Building Consensus Around Difficult Strategic Decisions
October 27, 2023, Harvard Business Review
Making future-focused decisions in an uncertain world presents fundamental challenges for leaders. So how can leaders get clarity on the best path forward? The authors of this article have developed a tool that they call “strategic sparring sessions.” These are immersive, interactive discussions specifically designed to help groups see through the fog that accompanies today’s predictable unpredictability. These sessions help teams align on key assumptions, build conviction on a path forward, and activate individual and collective change.
ICPHSO Conference Highlights Need For Understanding The Basics Of Product Recall
October 26, 2023, Cooley
Increasing globalization of product markets brings tremendous opportunities for product manufacturers. New technologies enable companies to reach consumers in markets all around the world, and rapid geographical expansion is increasingly the order of the day. These opportunities also bring risks that must be managed. For any consumer product manufacturer, there is an ever-present risk – despite the best planning and investment – that something could go wrong in the design, production or distribution phases that creates an unexpected safety risk to consumers. When that happens, the manufacturer may need to consider implementing an international product recall or some other form of safety action. Sometimes, that action may be required as a mandatory step by government regulators.
Apple Lines Up To Support Nationwide Right-To-Repair Legislation
October 24, 2023, CNBC
Apple said that it supports nationwide right-to-repair regulation that would make iPhone parts and tools available to customers, the latest sign of the company’s shift toward supporting independent repair. Apple is an important symbol for the right-to-repair movement. Its products are widely used, and many users have encountered a cracked iPhone screen or used-up battery that required a trip to a repair or Apple store. Apple said it sees “real value” in a national law at a recent White House event.
Best Buy Recalls Almost 1 Million Pressure Cookers After Spewed Contents Burn 17 People
October 26, 2023, CBS News
Best Buy is recalling 930,000 pressure cookers due to a defect that can cause hot food and liquid to spew from the devices, potentially burning those nearby, the retailer said in a notice posted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The retailer said it has received 31 reports of the cooker’s contents being expelled under pressure. Some 17 people suffered burn injuries, some second-degree and severe. The Insignia electric pressure cookers have incorrect volume markings on their inner pots, which can cause overfilled contents to eject when pressurized, according to the Richfield, Minnesota-based company.
New Study: Dangerous ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Your Everyday Items Are Causing Cancer
October 24, 2023, Newsweek
Several “forever chemicals” found nearly everywhere in our day-to-day lives have been linked to thyroid cancer, new research has found. Certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals” due to their resistance to breaking down in the environment, have been associated with a 56 percent increased risk of thyroid cancer diagnosis. This is according to new research published in the journal eBioMedicine.
Clothing Textile Flammability Standard Revised
October 26, 2023, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule that, effective approximately April 22, 2024, will amend the standard for the flammability of clothing textiles to clarify existing provisions. The Flammable Fabrics Act prohibits the importation, manufacture for sale, or sale in commerce of any fabric or article of wearing apparel that is so highly flammable as to be dangerous when worn by individuals. The CPSC uses a test first codified as a standard in 1975 (in 16 CFR Part 1610) and since amended several times to determine if fabric meets this criterion. This standard includes test equipment, materials and procedures for testing the flammability of clothing textiles and applies to all items of clothing and fabrics intended to be used for clothing (with certain exclusions).
Editorial: Social Media Can Harm Kids. Lawsuits Could Force Meta, Others To Make Platforms Safer
October 26, 2023, Los Angeles Times
It’s a rare issue that can bring 41 states together for a bipartisan fight. This week, state attorneys general across the political spectrum joined forces in suing Facebook parent company Meta for allegedly using features on Instagram and other platforms that hook young users, while denying or downplaying the risks to their mental health. This comes two years after states began investigating Meta following revelations that the company’s internal research found Instagram was having a negative effect on some teen users’ mental health.
Woman Who Burned Herself On Dunkin’ Coffee Settles For $3 Million
October 25, 2023, CNN
A Dunkin’ franchisee is paying a woman $3 million to settle a lawsuit involving hot coffee falling on her lap that she alleges caused severe burns and life-altering injuries, according to her lawyers. According to the woman’s attorney, the lid came off the cup after she was given the drink and the hot coffee spilled on her lap causing second- and third-degree burns to her thighs, groin and abdomen. She also required “extensive” skin grafts, a statement said. The injury resulted in her spending weeks at a burn unit in a Georgia hospital, costing her $200,000 in medical bills.
