Mom of twins in toppled dresser scare: Learn from our close call
January 4, 2017, Today/NBC
A family who experienced a harrowing incident in which a dresser toppled on their twin toddler boys is hoping other parents can learn from their mistake, They have since anchored the dresser to the wall, which the CPSC advises as a good way to secure televisions and top-heavy furniture.
South Korean execs jailed in humidifier deaths
January 6, 2017, sbs.com
The head of a company in South Korea which made disinfectant for humidifiers that killed scores of people has been jailed for seven years. The company’s disinfectant also has left hundreds of people with permanent lung damage. The company’s former leader was found guilty of accidental homicide and falsely advertising the deadly product as being safe even for children.
On first day, Congress takes on regulations
January 4, 2017, Epoch Times
Regulations reach into all aspects of life, from matters as small as designating a one-mile long safety zone for a fire works display in Natchez, Mississippi to as large as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, which the agency says costs the economy $7.2 billion annually. In the new 115th Congress, Republicans are introducing bills to address the proliferation of regulations that added 16,850 pages to the Federal Register bringing the total number of pages to a record high of 97,110 by the end of 2015.
Samsung is blunt about its bad year as it introduces new products at CES
January 5, 2017, washingtonpost.com
While Samsung had a lot of new products to offer during the Consumer Electronics Show news conference, the first item on the agenda was eating crow. The firm acknowledged that having to stop making one of its flagship smartphones and to deal with exploding washing machines was not ideal for the firm. An official said that information about the root cause of its exploding battery issue would be released “very soon.”
Super strong magnets back on market in U.S.—could ban be overturned in Canada?
January 6, 2017, ctvnews.ca
A ban on super strong magnet sets has been overturned in the U.S., and there is concern that the toys could end up back on Canada shelves. The magnets are still prohibited from being sold in Canada, while it is unclear whether marketer Zen Magnets will attempt to have the ban in Canada overturned.
Blog: CPSC Commissioner Robinson says that for “Portable Generators–Delaying safety is denying safety”
December 22, 2016, cpsc.gov
On November 2, 2016 the CPSC commissioners approved a Notice for Proposed Rulemaking that would result in a Mandatory Standard that sets a maximum level for carbon monoxide emission rates on portable generators, which are now resulting in about 450 times more carbon monoxide emissions than an idling automobile. The original comment period for the NPR was 75 days, rather than the standard 60 days. The Commissioner explains her reasons for opposing a 75-day extension of the comment period which industry has requested.
Prop 65 Update: The rules they are a changing’
January 4, 2017, jdsupra (Lewitt Hackman)
After 30 years of living under regulations implementing Proposition 65, known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, the California Office of Emergency Health Hazard Assessment (“OEHHA”) has promulgated a whole new set of regulations for “clear and reasonable warnings” designed in part to “make warnings more meaningful to the public.”
U.S. Judge delays in sentencing of VW employee aiding in emission probe
January 3, 2017, Reuters
A U.S. District Judge in Detroit delayed sentencing a German man who is the only person to face U.S. criminal charges over Volkswagen’s diesel emission cheating scandal, as he cooperates with prosecutors still investigating the matter. Originally, scheduled to be sentenced February 1, James R. Liang, a Volkswagen engineer pleading guilty of wire fraud and violating U.S. clean air laws, will have a delay in sentencing until May 3 “to allow more time for defendant’s cooperation in the investigation. In a related development a South Korean Volkswagen executive received a jail term of one year and six months in emissions scandal fall out.
UL debuting new services at global toy fairs
January 5, 2017, prnewswire.com
A UL Toy Safety Enhanced Certification Mark has been announced by the Northbrook, IL safety organization. The UL Consumer and Retail Services (CRS) group says that the mark brings “heightened credibility to the product’s safety and compliance, and can help manage supply chain risk.”
Compliance costs a new, growing worry: Poll
December 29, 2017, Asiaone.com
While operating costs and manpower-related challenges have been perennial issues for companies and remain key concerns, a new survey finds that companies are becoming increasingly worried about the rising cost of complying with government regulations.
