Fisher-Price Recalls Rock ‘N Play Baby Sleeper Tied To Infant Deaths
April 12, 2019 (updated), NPR
Fisher-Price has issued an immediate recall of all models of its Rock ‘n Play baby sleeper, according to a news release from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Fisher-Price, which has sold approximately 4.7 million of these sleepers, is advising that consumers stop using the product immediately and contact the company for a refund or voucher.
Four more deaths linked to infant sleepers like Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play sleepers
April 11, 2019, Consumer Reports
Four additional deaths are linked to infant inclined sleepers, according to Consumer Reports’ ongoing investigation of these kinds of products. The sleepers—the Ingenuity Moonlight Rocking Sleeper and the Bright Starts Playtime to Bedtime Sleeper—are made by the children’s product company Kids II. A spokesperson for Kids II confirmed to CR that the company is aware of four deaths associated with those products. The Bright Starts product was discontinued in 2016, but the Ingenuity Moonlight Rocking Sleeper is still available.
White House moves to tighten control over Federal regulators
April 11, 2019, Politico
The White House on Thursday moved to curb the power of federal regulators by directing them to submit nonbinding guidance documents to the budget office for review, a step that could slow down the enactment of any rule with a potentially large impact on the economy.
A memo from acting Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought would vastly broaden Congress’s ability to reject such guidance, subjecting the documents to the same scrutiny as regulations that carry the force of law.
DOJ Trumpets “First-Ever” Criminal Indictment for Failure to Report Product Safety Issues
April 12, 2019, JD Supra
On March 29, 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had initiated the first-ever criminal prosecution of individual business executives for alleged failure to timely disclose product safety issues to federal regulators. This prosecution decision underscores the critical importance of appropriate disclosure as part of a company’s response to safety failures in light of the government’s continuing efforts to hold individuals responsible for alleged corporate misconduct.
Study: Rate of children swallowing foreign objects skyrockets from 1995-2015
April 12, 2019, AAP News & Journals
The rate of young children swallowing foreign objects has nearly doubled over the past two decades. Coins are the most common object children swallowed, according to “Foreign Body Ingestions of Young Children Treated in US Emergency Departments: 1995-2015,” (Orsagh-Yentis D, et al. Pediatrics. April 12, 2019,) Researchers looked at ingestion trends using data from the National Electronic InjurySurveillance System from 1995-2015. Their analysis included nearly 30,000 cases of children under 6 years treated at emergency departments (EDs) for foreign body ingestions (FBIs), which they used to estimate national figures.
The Phantom Menace: Office Depot settles with FTC over fake virus scam
April 12, 2019, National Law Review (Mintz)
Office Depot and its tech support provider, Support.com, proved to be anything but “supportive” after allegedly providing false malware scan results and conning customers into paying for repairs and technical services that, in many cases, they did not need. The companies will pay a combined $35 million settlement to the FTC, with Office Depot paying $25 million, and Support.com the additional $10 million, to settle allegations of unfair or deceptive acts or practices in violation of the FTC Act. All $35 million will go toward refunding customers tricked by the scheme.
New guidance documents issued for toy pools and musical instruments by EU
April 12, 2019, OpenPR
The European Commission (EC) has issued revised versions of its toy guidance documents for pools and musical instruments. Both documents, inter alia, provide clarification on what constitutes a toy version of the product. The revised version of the guidance document for toy musical instruments clarifies the grey area between a toy and an actual musical instrument. It also provides information
The International Association of Trampoline Parks (IATP) Develops Programs Aimed at Promoting Optimal Safety
April 12, 2019, SFGate
The IATP continues to actively develop programs aimed at promoting the optimal safety and well-being of jumpers who visit our member parks, and in an ongoing effort the following initiatives will be launched, including a third-Party Inspection that will require all member parks to first pass a third-party inspection to join, or maintain IATP membership. This will put measures in place to monitor that parks are adhering to industry standards.
What to know about new California connected devises law
March 28, 2019, JD Supra
On the heels of the game-changing California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, California is once again leading the way and setting the standard for cybersecurity and data security with the enactment of the nation’s first law for the “Security of Connected Devices,” which expressly governs cybersecurity requirements that must be adhered to by manufacturers of “smart” devices, otherwise commonly known as the “internet of things.”
FDA warns against using teething jewelry
April 12, 2019, Click2houston
But according to a recent warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), parents should avoid giving their infants teething bracelets, necklaces or other jewelry marketed for relieving tooth pain. The warning was issued after the organization received multiple reports of serious injury and even death due to strangulation and choking incidents as a result of the jewelry.
