CPSC Finds Micromobility Injuries Rose 127% Since 2017
October 11, 2022, Bicycle Retailer
Injuries involving micromobility devices including e-scooters, hoverboards and e-bikes were up 127% between 2017 and 2021 according to a new report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC report also counted 48 deaths involving the products last year, including 23 deaths involving e-bikes. The total number of micromobility device fatalities was up from just five in 2017. The report found that Black consumers sustained injuries at a higher rate than other groups.
CPSC Enforcement Trend: Unilateral Press Releases
October 13, 2022, Retail & Consumer Products Law Observer
Companies take note: over the past month or so, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued four unilateral press releases instructing consumers to stop using a product. Since May of this year, that number rises to seven. If that number does not seem high, consider this: between 2011 and 2019—a nine-year period—the agency issued two. So, what exactly is a “unilateral press release” and what does the agency’s issuance of four over recent weeks mean for you?
Is Agenda Theater Ruining Your Meetings?
October 14, 2022, Harvard Business Review
Like triaging our inboxes, clearing our messages or managing our to-do lists, preparing an agenda can make us feel like we’ve accomplished something. But research shows that these feelings may in fact be leading us into the trap of agenda theater: We sink time and effort into agendas that create the appearance of effective meetings, without actually improving how meetings are run.
The Dangers Of Using Your Gas Range Or Oven For Heat
October 13, 2022, Consumer Reports
More than one in five Americans with income under $30,000 who have a gas range say they used that appliance to heat their home during the past year, according to a Consumer Reports survey. And new CR research shows that cooking with a gas range can expose people to potentially dangerous nitrogen oxide gases (NOx) at levels twice as high as the limit set by the EPA for outdoor air.
Poll: Most U.S. Voters Want Products Free Of Harmful Chemicals
October 11, 2022, Fox 41
A new survey shows and they are even willing to pay more to get that assurance of safety. This according to Lake Research Partners, which conducted the poll. The Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), commissioned the survey. More than 90% of those polled wanted the U.S. government to require products to be screened for harmful chemicals and proven safe before market approval.
Etsy Provides Resources To Seller On Creating Safer Children’s Products
October 10, 2022, Ecommercebytes
Etsy has partnered with a nonprofit organization focused on the safety of children’s products to help inform sellers on the topic. Etsy will make Kids in Danger (KID)’s video course available to sellers, which is designed specifically for small business owners. The course offers lessons that go in-depth on designing and creating products for children.
Halloween Face Paint Can Be Toxic To Kids
October 12, 2022, Consumer Reports
Around Halloween time many parents worry about trick-or-treating safety and curfews, sugar crashes, and ruined bedtimes. But here’s something you might not be thinking about but should be: toxic ingredients in your kids’ face paints and powders. Studies in recent years have found Halloween face paints that contain heavy metals like lead and cadmium, and powdered makeup marketed to kids that are contaminated with asbestos.
Kidde Launches ‘Cause For Alarm™’ Campaign, Sounding The Alarm On Fire Safety Inequity
October 12, 2022, EIN PressWire
Kidde, a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and safety accessories, created Cause For Alarm in response to the statistics that fatal residential fires disproportionately affect some communities more than others. The Consumer Product Safety Research found African Americans face nearly two times the risk of house fire deaths.
New York Lawmaker Wants Internet Privacy Protections For Kids
October 12, 2022, Spectrum Local New
Digital advertising aimed at kids as well as the data collection of younger users would be banned under legislation proposed this week by state Sen. Andrew Gounardes. The measure is meant to provide stronger protections for kids online and give parents more control over their children’s digital lives. The bill is being proposed after years of studies finding social media exposure can be harmful to children and teenagers, leading to mental health problems like depression.
Study Finds 3 Out Of 4 Stock Photos Of Sleeping Babies Show ‘Unsafe’ Spaces
October 13, 2022, PetaPixel
The BabyCenter analyzed 500 photos and 77 percent of them were found to be in a position that puts them at risk for sudden unexpected infant death (SUID). The study found that the most common safety issue was a baby sleeping with something in their crib, such as a blanket (35%), a pillow (18%) or soft toys (16%). Babies are also frequently shown sleeping outside of a crib or bassinet, such as on a soft surface (16%) or an adult bed (12%). In 12% of photos, a baby is shown sleeping on their stomach or side.
Canada Prioritizes Methylene Chloride For Further Risk Assessment
October 13, 2022, Chemical Watch
The Canadian government has determined it must further assess methylene chloride to better understand the risk it poses to workers and consumers, and to decide whether it requires additional regulations. Prioritizing the widely used solvent for further review could put Canada on track to follow the US in identifying risks from its current applications and imposing new restrictions.
27 Children, 5 Adults Hospitalized After Carbon Monoxide Leak At Daycare Center
October 11, 2022, Morning Call
The first sign anything was amiss at Happy Smiles Learning Center in Allentown came when a boy got up from his seat in what’s known as the “cozy area” and collapsed mid-stride as he ran across the room. Employees of the day care tried to revive him as they called 911 for help. When emergency medical technicians arrived, monitors connected to their medical bags sounded, alerting them to the presence of carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless and potentially deadly gas. Further testing with a carbon monoxide gas meter showed it was present in a concentration of 700 parts per million, more than three times the threshold that can cause death.
