CPSC Approves New Safety Standard For Nursing Pillows
December 4, 2024, Morrison & Foerster (JD Supra)
On September 18, 2024, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) unanimously approved a new mandatory standard for nursing pillows designed to address risks presented by suffocation, entrapment, and fall hazards associated with these products. All nursing pillows manufactured for sale will need to meet the new requirements 180 days after their publication in the Federal Register. This new mandatory safety standard imposes a number of requirements, including testing, design, and labeling requirements. Under the new rules, nursing pillows with plush surfaces must be tested to ensure they won’t conform to an infant’s face or suffocate a sleeping child. In addition, the regulations require a prominent warning label on all nursing pillows warning consumers of the risk of injury if the product is not used properly.
The EU Is Pushing For Stricter E-Scooter Safety Standards
December 5, 2024, rideapart.com
For many people around the world, electric scooters and other small e-mobility devices have changed their lives. But as is always the case when it comes to all things mobility, a balance between safety and convenience always has to be struck. Up until now, rules and regulations surrounding the use of e-scooters have been inconsistent and confusing at best. This is where the ETSC, or the European Transport Safety Council steps in, as it now calls for the development of mandatory requirements for all e-scooters sold in the European Union. For starters, all e-scooters should include a speed limiter set at 20 kilometers per hour (around 12.4 miles per hour). Minimum braking and maximum acceleration parameters will also be set.
When You Have Two Bosses — And They Don’t Talk To Each Other
December 6, 2024, Harvard Business Review
There’s no question that managing up to multiple bosses isn’t easy. But the very things that make it challenging — navigating different communication styles, negotiating workloads, building consensus — are exactly the skills that will set you apart in your career if you play it right. Here are strategies for what to do when you’re caught between two leaders who don’t talk to each other: 1) Spot the sneaky signs of disconnection. 2) Get ahead of conflicts 3) Bring visibility to the decision-making process. 4) Be the bridge. 5) Make the costs clear.
UK Small Firms Brace For New EU Product Safety Rules, Call For Better Export Support
December 5, 2024, Direct Commerce
The EU’s new General Product Safety Regulation, which will come into effect on 13 December. According to Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the UK Federation of Small Businesses, “The EU’s upcoming General Product Safety Regulation will be a real barrier to international trade for some of our small firms looking to export to EU member states. Our latest research shows 37 per cent of current exporters rank information on specific issues, including product safety rules and customs as the most beneficial sources when entering or exploring entry to a new market.”
California Bill Proposes Silica Safety Standards For Counter Manufacturers
December 5, 2024, Business Insurance
A bill introduced ahead of the 2025 legislative session in California aims to protect workers in stonecutting shops from exposure to respirable crystalline silica. S.B. 20 would require the use of wet methods to cut stone slab products for countertops and other projects. The bill would authorize the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health to issue immediate stop-work orders to companies cutting stone slabs using dry methods. The bill would also direct the Department of Public Health to adopt a training curriculum for safe fabrication activities and implement a process to certify that a person has completed the training.
Defense Insights As PFAS Consumer Product Claims Rise
November 26, 2024, Farella Brun + Martel (JD Supra)
The third wave of PFAS litigation has arrived. A few years ago, PFAS complaints based on violations of consumer protection statutes were in their nascency. Recently, there has been a proliferation of lawsuits brought by consumers seeking damages for failure to disclose the presence of PFAS in various consumer products. To be prepared for these types of claims, consumer product companies should make sure they know the composition of their products and the potential sources of PFAS in their supply chains. They should also understand the latest scientific and technical issues involved in sampling and testing for PFAS. Manufacturers should also consider the risks of federal and state laws that require reporting as the data these reporting laws generate could be used by plaintiffs in future litigation.
New Colorado Law Will Take Effect January 1, 2025 To Keep Kids Safe
December 4, 2024, Colorado Department of Transportation
On June 4, 2024, Gov. Jared Polis signed a new bill that updates Colorado’s child restraint system law for the first time in 14 years. The updates reflect the latest research and recommendations on child passenger safety, ensuring that the laws keep pace with evolving best practices. Key Child Passenger Safety Law Changes Effective Jan. 1, 2025 The Colorado Department of Transportation will launch an awareness campaign in January to ensure that Coloradans are aware of the new updates to the laws. Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for children in the U.S., according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
CPSC Reports Toy Hazard Injuries
December 4, 2024, Fountain Hills Times Independent
A report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is highlighting the importance of safety when buying and playing with kids’ toys – even for older children. The commission’s Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries report found there were 11 deaths, and an estimated 145,500 emergency department-treated injuries in 2022 associated with toys for children 12 years and younger. Consumers should not only “think safety” about what they buy for children but should also be vigilant about where gifts are purchased, especially online. As e-commerce retailing continues to grow year-over-year for holiday sales, Commission Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric is urging caution when turning to online retail outlets. “Consumers expect the products they purchase online to be as safe as those they buy in brick-and-mortar stores,” Hoehn-Saric said. “While this is true when buying online directly from a manufacturer, purchasing from an online marketplace that services other sellers raises additional risks. Consumers need to educate themselves not only about what they buy, but where and from whom. It’s important not to sacrifice safety.”
Tip-Overs In Consumer Report Tests
December 3, 2024, KSDK.com (YouTube video)
Each year, thousands of children are injured after pulling furniture down on themselves. Consumer Reports puts an easy, affordable fix to the test.
Johns Hopkins: Preventing Injuries And Staying Safe In Winter
December 4, 2024, Johns Hopkins University
As winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, we brace for colder weather and shorter days that have more people spending time indoors. And while for many the season brings cozy holiday celebrations and the occasional snow day, winter can also bring risks for home fires, weather-related injuries, and car crashes. “In the injury prevention field, we believe that every injury should be preventable,” says Elise Omaki, senior research associate in Health Policy and Management and director of outreach at the Center for Injury Research and Policy. To help you prevent injuries this winter, Omaki and her colleagues explain common causes of injury and death in winter and offer tips to prevent them.
Toronto: Votes To Ban Lithium-Ion-Powered E-Bikes And Scooters In Winter Months
December 3, 2024, CBC
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) board of directors has approved a new seasonal ban on lithium-ion battery-powered micromobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters. In a six-to-four vote, the board approved a staff recommendation to ban the devices onboard TTC subways, streetcars and buses as well as in stations and other facilities. The ban will be in place annually between Nov. 15 and April 15. Officials noted the ban wouldn’t apply to persons with disabilities who use wheelchairs or other assistive devices to get around.
