Generator Company To Pay $15.8 Million Fine Related To Defect That Caused Finger Amputations
May 5, 2023, Penn Live
A Wisconsin company has agreed to pay a $15.8 million civil penalty related to charges that it failed to immediately report a defect with 32 of its generators that posed a risk of finger amputation. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Generac Power Systems of Waukesha, Wisconsin, agreed to pay the penalty. “The settlement resolves CPSC’s charges that Generac failed to immediately report to CPSC, as required by law, that 32 models of its Generac and DR 6500 Watt and 8000-Watt portable generators contained a defect that could create a substantial product hazard and created an unreasonable risk of serious injury to consumers,” the commission said.
CPSC Says Stability Standard To Go Into Effect September 1
May 4, 2023, Woodworking Network
After years of back-and-forth debate, a tipover stability rule for clothing storage units is set to go into effect on Sept. 1, 2023. That is, “unless the Commission receives a significant adverse comment by June 5, 2023.” The rule, which is based on the industry-backed ASTM F2057-23 voluntary standard, was approved on April 19 by a 3-1 vote by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC commissioners found that the standard met the requirements of the STURDY legislation signed into law by President Biden in December 2022. The May 4 Federal Register stays the implementation of a CPSC rule that was set to go into effect on May 24.
4 Types Of Employee Complaints — And How To Respond
May 3, 2023, Harvard Business Review
Complaining can have both positive and negative effects on organizational communication. Managing the different types of complaints with the appropriate behaviors can have a positive effect. Managers can create a positive, high-performing work environment while monitoring and containing the risks and costs of complaining for themselves and their teams.
Facebook Marketplace fails to remove listings of dangerous electrical goods
May 5, 2023, Engineer & Technology
UK charity Electrical Safety First (ESF) flagged ten dangerous and substandard products to Meta in late February as part of a wide-scale investigation that identified dangerous goods for sale via five major online marketplaces. Amazon Marketplace, eBay, Wish.com and AliExpress all responded to alerts from the charity by swiftly removing the listings. But ESF says goods that expose shoppers to risk of electric shock and fire remained on sale via Facebook Marketplace.
Peloton Identifies Defect In Seat Posts After Reports Of Injuries
May 4, 2023, Reuters
Peloton Interactive Inc. said that it had identified a defect involving seat posts in its original stationary bike, with 12 reports of injuries, including one wrist fracture, as of April 30. Out of 2.4 million units sold in the U.S. and Canada as of April 30, there were 35 reports of the bike’s seat post breaking during use, Peloton said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said it had notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission about the “potential product safety issue” and is working with the regulator to finalize a corrective action plan.
Commissioner Mary T. Boyle Statement On Fy 2023 Operating Plan Alignment And Midyear Review
May 1, 2023, cpsc.gov
In the words that Congress chose to introduce our founding statute, “complexities of consumer products and the diverse nature and abilities of consumers using them frequently result in an inability of users to anticipate risks and to safeguard them adequately.” If that was true in 1972, think how much more complex the world is today. And in 1972, Congress couldn’t have been clearer: “the public should be protected against unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products.”
Health Canada – Water Beads May Pose Life-Threatening Risks To Young Children
May 4, 2023, Yahoo! Finance
Health Canada is warning parents and caregivers about the risks of water beads. These tiny beads, also known as jelly beads, hydro orbs, crystal soil, sensory beads or orb beads, are water-absorbing gel beads that can grow up to 1,500 times their size when placed in water. Water beads can be very harmful if swallowed or put in the ears or nose. Health Canada is aware of several international incidents where children who had ingested water beads sustained life-threatening injuries. In the U.S. there have been at least 248 known water bead cases as reported to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) from January 1, 2017 to November 22, 2022.
Biden Administration Unveils An AI Plan Ahead Of Meeting With Tech CEOs
May 5, 2023, CNN Business
The White House announced a series of measures to address the challenges of artificial intelligence amid rising concerns about the technology’s potential risks for discrimination, misinformation and privacy. The plan came the same day that Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials met with the CEOs of Google, Microsoft, ChatGPT-creator OpenAI and Anthropic to emphasize the importance of ethical and responsible AI development. Vice President Harris told the chief executives they have a “legal responsibility” to ensure the safety of their artificial intelligence products.
Doorglass Inserts Made For Hurricane Zones Might Come Off In A Hurricane
May 4, 2023, FLKeysNews
Doorglass inserts designed to protect your house from windblown debris blowing through your door during a tropical storm or hurricane shouldn’t be vulnerable to breaking off from the door in a tropical storm or hurricane. That’s why ODL recalled about 39,100 severe weather doorglass inserts. Or, as the Consumer Product Safety Commission stated, “Under severe weather conditions, such as hurricanes, the adhesive bond holding the doorglass inserts can become separated from the door causing a risk of injury and property damage from windborne debris.”
April 2023 PFAS Legislative Developments
May 4, 2023, National Law Review
A review of federal and state PFAS legislative activities.
