CPSC Approves New Magnet Safety Standard For Certain Non-Toy Products
October 3, 2022, The Toy Association
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has unanimously approved a final rule for the safety standard for magnets, including loose or separable magnets used in non-toy products. The standard also includes magnets for entertainment, stress relief or jewelry. Commonly referred to as the “adult magnets” rule, it is designed to address magnets that are outside the scope of the toy standard. 

Product Safety Education Group Partners With Virginia Tech In Washington, D.C. Area
October 7, 2022, EIN News
The Society of Product Safety Professionals (SPSP) and its education program collaborator, ADK Information Services, LLC, have formed a partnership with Virginia Tech to offer the group’s Consumer Product Safety Professional Certification Program. The program provides education and supports professional development for people in the product safety field. Those who complete this training course earn the designation Certified Product Safety Professional™. The program, scheduled to begin next Spring, will be held at the Virginia Tech Research Center — Arlington, VA, near Washington, D.C.

4 Myths About In-Person Work, Dispelled
October 4, 2022, Harvard Business Review
The authors hear many myths when it comes to what in-person learning — or in-person experiences more generally — can achieve. Here, they’ll dispel the ones they hear most often and show you how to maximize connection from in-person learning events.

Crash Test Dummies For E-Scooters
October 4, 2022, TechXplore
The risk associated with these speedy runabouts is widely underestimated. In response to this, Fraunhofer researchers studied a typical accident scenario and the associated injuries as part of the HUMAD project. The experts also tested novel materials for helmets and protective gear. These could provide much better protection than conventional products.

California Bans PFAS In Textiles, Cosmetics But Governor Vetoes Reporting Requirement
October 5, 2022, Morgan Lewis
Last month, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills banning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in textiles and cosmetics. He also vetoed a bill that would have required manufacturers and certain other businesses to submit annual reports concerning the usage of PFAS in products sold or imported into the state. These new consumer regulations will have far-reaching implications for companies up and down the supply chain doing business in California.

Legislative Update: Tariffs, Product Safety And China Restrictions
October 4, 2022, Sandler Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
 A review of several important House and Senate action, These include introduction of the Fair Tariff Act and the No Chips For China Act and Senate approval of the STURDY Act.

White House Proposes Voluntary Safety And Transparency Rules Around AI
October 4, 2022, TechCrunch
The White House this morning unveiled what it’s colloquially calling an “AI Bill of Rights,” which aims to establish tenets around the ways AI algorithms should be deployed as well as guardrails on their applications. It explicitly calls out algorithmic discrimination, saying that AI systems should be designed to protect both communities and individuals from biased decision-making. And it strongly suggests that users should be able to opt out of interactions with an AI system if they choose, for example in the event of a system failure.

Transportation Research Board Releases New Report Identifying Deficiencies Impacting E-Scooter Rider Safety
October 7, 2022, Green Car Congress
A new research report released by the Transportation Research Board (TRB), E-scooter Safety: Issues and Solutions, finds that amid a rapid rise in the use and prevalence of electric scooters (e-scooters) on US roads and sidewalks, more must be done to address regulatory, infrastructure and educational deficiencies that are putting riders at risk. The research was conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in conjunction with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Safe Streets Research and Consulting; Equitable Cities; and Populus. The report, released under the Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program (BTSCRP), found that available data and research evaluating e-scooter safety are lagging behind the rapid adoption and expansion of this form of transportation commonly referred to as micromobility.

India: Baby Chakra Launches National Label Education Campaign With #Babychakrakilist
October 3, 2022, afaqs
The parenting platform BabyChakra released Definitive List to raise awareness of toxins that find their way into many seemingly natural and even premium baby & childcare products.
The list is titled #BabychakraKiList: Ingredients We Say No to. The Objective of the list is to urge parents to be aware of what is going in their baby’s products.

Recall Litigation Report: Plaintiffs Seek To Consolidate Recall-Related Lawsuits Against Exactech
October 3, 2022, Retail & Consumer Products Law Observer
A group of plaintiffs recently filed a motion with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to consolidate all Exactech join replacement lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The consolidated case would include over two dozen lawsuits about injuries from Exactech’s knee and hip systems and an undisclosed number of future cases that plaintiffs intend to file over Exactech’s ankle systems.

Outdoor Stove Recalled In Canada Over Potential Gas Leak
October 6, 2022, CTV News
Health Canada has issued a recall notice for an outdoor gas stove following the discovery of a potential leak that could pose a fire hazard. The joint recall Thursday from Health Canada, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and product importer Katadyn Canada, ULC advises users to “immediately stop” using the Optimus Gemini two-burner gas stove and return it to their original place of purchase for a full refund. The notice says the stove’s gas regulator could have a tear in the seal, which may cause a gas leak.

CPSC Recalls More Than 100,000 Residential Elevators In 2021-2022
September 29, 2022, cpsc.gov
As the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced its latest recalls involving residential elevators, it renewed its call for homeowners and vacation rental businesses to address hazards in residential elevators to protect children from harm. Over the past year, CPSC has stepped up its residential elevator enforcement efforts by recalling 117,100 total units across the U.S. to address an entrapment hazard. Most recently, the CPSC issued recalls for Cambridge Elevating and Custom Elevator, citing the danger these devices pose to young children.  In the case of Custom Elevator, a 7-year-old child died in 2021, at a North Carolina vacation home, after becoming entrapped in a residential elevator.  

Bipartisan Congressional Group Urge Federal Agencies To Investigate Chinese Firm
September 29, 2022, Wisconsin Examiner
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and U.S. Reps. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah, Wis.) and Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau, Wis)) wrote three federal agencies urging action against Man Wah Holdings and its American subsidiary. Their letter to the CSPC states that Raffel Systems LLC was receiving consumer safety complaints because of defective copies of its cup holders made by Man Wah.  The defects “included electrical faults that could have exposed consumers to potential safety risks,” according to the letter. It asks the CPSC to investigate whether the knockoff manufacturer broke federal consumer protection laws by not reporting its own “potentially defective and dangerous products” to the agency.

Preventing Burnout: The Demand-Control-Support Model
September 27, 2022, Knowledge at Wharton
Even before the pandemic, ‘burnout’ was labeled an epidemic. It’s the persistent work-related stress that’s exhausting and impairing. In the U.S., over half of employees feel burned out at least some of the time — and it can lead to what has recently been termed “quiet quitting.” Burnout can be prevented and reduced — even in high-pressure jobs. It requires structural and cultural change, and the author’s favorite model is demand-control-support.

Electronics: New Rules For PFAS Chemicals In Canada & U.S.
September 28, 2022, Electronic Products and Technology
Alarmed by recent studies on PFAS toxicity, several U.S. states have implemented laws restricting the sale of articles containing substances from the chemical group. In addition, the U. S. has proposed new rules in its Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Furthermore, the government of Canada is proposing to repeal the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 and replace it with a stricter set of laws.

UK: Call For Ban On Dangerous E-Bike Chargers After Fires
September 27, 2022, BBC News
A London council has called on the government to ban the sale of substandard e-bike chargers.
Hammersmith & Fulham councilor Frances Umeh said the chargers “should never have been available for sale”. An investigation by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First found that dangerous e-bike chargers were on sale via popular online marketplaces.

Opinion: When Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Mislead The Public
September 28, 2022, Bloomberg Law
The American Tort Reform Association writes, “Plaintiffs’ lawyers are relying more and more on traditional and social media to bolster litigation, often pushing inaccurate and baseless claims in friendly outlets. They sometimes partner with so-called experts to provide misleading scientific evidence to support their claims both inside and outside the courtroom. This concerning trend repeats fallacies and influences public perception of cases and the parties on each side.”

New Liability Rules On Products And AI To Protect Consumers And Foster Innovation
September 28, 2022, European Commission
The Commission adopted two proposals to adapt liability rules to the digital age, circular economy and the impact of global value chains. The revised Directive modernizes and reinforces the current well-established rules, based on the strict liability of manufacturers, for the compensation of personal injury, damage to property or data loss caused by unsafe products, from garden chairs to advanced machinery.

Safety Tips For Kids Who Walk Or Bike To School
September 25, 2022, Winona Daily
Children usually aren’t ready to start walking to school without an adult until about fifth grade, or around age 10. Younger children are more impulsive and less cautious around traffic, and they often don’t fully understand other potential dangers they could encounter. By walking with your children to and from school, you can help them learn the neighborhood, teach them about traffic signs, street signs and directions, and model correct behaviors when crossing streets.

AU: Baby Sling Safety Is Under Spotlight – A 5-Point Checklist Can Keep Infants Safe
September 27, 2022, Mirage News
Carrying babies in a soft fabric sling or carrier close to their parent or caregiver has been practiced throughout the world for centuries. However, the recent inquest into the death of a three-week old baby boy in New South Wales has highlighted the potential risks of this valued aspect of infant care.

California Trails Closely Behind The UK To Protect Children’s Privacy
September 28, 2020, JD Supra
Recently signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (“AADC”) changes the playing field for certain businesses that provide online services, products, or features accessible to children under the age of 18. Although California models its new law after the Children’s Code passed by the UK, the AADC is first state law of its kind in the U.S. Once it goes into effect on July 1, 2024, the California Attorney General may fine noncompliant businesses up to $7,500 per affected child.

In Pursuit Of Better Batteries
September 26, 2022, ShowMeMizzou
Missouri University researchers are using a $500,000 grant from National Science Foundation to explore a key technical challenge preventing lithium-ion batteries from achieving optimal energy performance.

CPSC Warns Consumers To Stop Using Go-Bowen Youth All-Terrain Vehicles Due To Federal Safety Standard Violations
September 28, 2022, Yahoo Life!
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers to immediately stop using Go-Bowen’s Sonora, Monster, Sahara-X and Mars youth ATV models because the ATVs do not comply with federal safety standards. Go-Bowen has refused to conduct a voluntary recall of these noncompliant ATVs.  CPSC is continuing to pursue a recall.

School Uniforms Carry High Levels Of Dangerous PFAS Chemicals
September 21, 2022, Consumer Reports
Children’s school uniforms are loaded with potentially dangerous PFAS chemicals, according to a study published today in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. The study found that the chemicals were present in all 30 of the uniforms tested, as well as some other clothing worn by children.

REI Members Nationwide Rally At REI Stores Following “Company Inaction“
September 20, 2022, Toxic-Free Future
Spanning 12 cities in 11 states, REI customers will deliver a petition with more than 130,000 signatures demanding action on PFAS “forever chemicals.” Competitor Patagonia already committed to phase out all PFAS in products by 2024, yet REI has failed to set a timeline to ban PFAS, according to a national campaign led by a coalition of grassroots groups.

The Best Managers Are Leaders — And Vice Versa
September 22, 2022, Harvard Business Review
Most of the long-running debate over “leaders” vs. “managers” focuses on nouns when it should focus on verbs. Everyone needs both “leading” and “managing” in their work, and the best executives balance the two.

NYC’s Delivery Drivers Depend On E-Bikes, But Charging And Storing Them Isn’t Easy
September 20, 2022, Marketplace
To make money as a delivery worker in New York City, you have to be fast. And if you want to be fast, a car is not the way to go. Instead, most delivery workers now use electric bikes. But the city is now considering banning e-bikes and their rechargeable lithium-ion batteries from public housing after a number of fires have been attributed to batteries overheating and exploding.

Safe Infant Sleep: Consumer Groups Say Australian Product Regulation Lags
September 21, 2022, The Guardian
“Australia has some of the strongest safety standards in the world for important categories such as household cots and strollers,” says the consumer affairs group Choice. “However, there’s inconsistency with some products such as bassinets (used for the first months of a baby’s life) which don’t have an Australian standard at all, and portable cots which have outdated mandatory standards,” Choice charges.

Wrap-Up Of Federal And State Chemical Regulator Developments, September 2022
September 20, 2022, JD Supra
A wide range of subjects were addressed in September’s federal and state chemical regulation. These include findings for certain new chemicals for significant new uses, revising risk determination, consolidating TSCA regulations, OECD (Organization For Economic Cooperation and Development) reports on the safety of manufactured nanomaterials.

Theories Of AI Liability: It’s Still About The Human Element
September 20, 2022, Reuters
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology changing nearly all sectors of commerce ranging from analytical modeling and e-commerce to health care. AI systems are capable of perceiving, learning, and forecasting outputs with minimal human intervention, Although AI systems offer potentially significant benefits to society, they also present new risks and legal challenges for liability. Without regulatory standards applicable to AI systems specifically, theories of liability currently available and applicable to AI systems still hinge on finding the human behind its development or application liable rather than the AI itself.

Causation Issues In PFAS Litigation: Where Did The “Forever” Chemical Come From? 
September 20, 2022, JD Supra
PFAS were developed in the 1930s, and over the course of the 20^th century became nearly ubiquitous due to their remarkable ability to make surfaces resistant to oils and wrinkles. They are broadly present in consumer goods, including food packaging, clothing, furniture fabrics, and nonstick cookware, as well as firefighting foams Humans ingest them through food, drinking water, and household dust.

World’s Leading Consumer Goods Companies Put Transparency And Transformation At Forefront Of Latest Deforestation Report
September 22, 2022, The Consumer Goods Forum
Report shows how the world’s leading initiative of consumer goods companies taking collective action on deforestation are taking individual and collective steps to transform palm oil, soy, paper packaging, and beef supply chains and production landscapes.

EU Commission Expects To Set The World’s Cybersecurity Standards For Connected Devices
September 22, 2022, Euractiv.com
The proposal for a Cyber Resilience Act introduced a security-by-design approach for all products with digital components. The idea is to oblige manufacturers to address vulnerabilities to facilitate consumer uptake of connected products. The Internet of Things sector is expected to boom in the coming years.

A Shut-Off Switch Was Supposed To Prevent 99% Of Generator-Related Deaths. It Failed A Family Of Three.
September 21, 2022, NBC News
The generator industry has touted automatic shut-off switches as a lifesaving fix for carbon monoxide poisoning. But the voluntary standard falls short of what the Consumer Product Safety Commission says is necessary to eliminate deaths.

In the News: September 12, 2022

CPSC Approves New Federal Safety Standard For Magnets To Prevent Deaths And Serious Injuries From High-Powered Magnet Ingestion
September 7, 2022, cpsc.gov
In an effort to reduce the risk of children and teens experiencing serious, even life-threatening injuries from swallowing dangerous, small high-powered magnets, the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted 5-0 to approve a new federal safety standard for magnets. When high-powered magnets are swallowed, they can attract to each other, or to other material that attracts to magnets, through internal body tissue. This can result in perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death. These injuries can occur when children and teens access and ingest the magnets, including, for example, when teens use the magnets to mimic mouth piercings and swallow them inadvertently.

CPSC Chair & Commissioner Statements:
Chair Alex D. Hoehn-Saric Statement
Commissioner Richard Trumka Statement
Commissioner Mary T. Boyle Statement

Peloton Says CPSC Staff Recommends Fines Related To Treadmill Recall
September 7, 2022, Yahoo News
Peloton Interactive disclosed that staff at the Consumer Product Safety Commission plans to recommend the company be fined for violating federal safety laws related to last year’s recall of a line of treadmills. Peloton said the CPSC notified it in August that the agency’s staff believed the company had failed to meet statutory obligations under the Consumer Product Safety Act.

How To Figure Out The Power Dynamics In A New Job
August 29, 2022, Harvard Business Review 
When you join a new organization, it’s important to understand who holds the power as they directly impact how work gets done, but it’s not always clear. In this piece, the author offers strategies to better identify where the true power exists. 

Early Learning Centre Kids’ Toy Recalled Over Fears It Could Make Youngsters Choke
September 6, 2022, The Mirror
The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued a notice to have the “Little Sense Lights and Sounds Shape Sorter” recalled over safety concerns. Toy manufacturer Addo Play, responsible for the design and creation of the product issued a voluntary safety notice.

Risk Of Ruptured AAA Batteries Prompts Recall Of Children’s Headphones
September 8, 2022, WSB-TV 2 Atlanta
The Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Hearing Lab Technology/Lucid Audio, is recalling four models of its powered HearMuffs. The Vinnic brand AAA alkaline batteries included with the affected HearMuffs can rupture, posing hearing, projectile or burn injury, according to the CPSC. The headphones were sold from January 2018 to December 2021 at Sam’s Club, Kroger and other stores nationwide; and online at samsclub.com and kroger.com.

Survey: Safer Baby Diapers Are More Important Than Ever
September 9, 2022, EWG
To clean up the baby diapers available in the marketplace, the Environmental Working Group surveyed more than 1,800 parents and caregivers to better understand what they know about diapers and what they want from these products. Almost 71 percent of survey respondents were unaware of chemicals found in diapers – dyes, chlorine, formaldehyde, pesticides, phthalates and other harmful substances.

‘It’s So Important To Pay Attention To Recalls:’ Keeping Your Family And Children Safe At Home
September 7, 2022, CBS Pittsburg
Several times a week there are recalls telling you about everything from food to household products. The recalls are warnings.  However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says that too often those warnings are ignored. There are plenty of recalls and it’s not hard to miss some of the, but that could compromise your family’s safety.

ASTM subcommittee will develop standards on PFAS in consumer products
September 6, 2022, National Law Review
ASTM has announced that a new subcommittee will develop standards on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are present in consumer products. The new subcommittee (F15.81) will operate under the jurisdiction of ASTM’s consumer products committee (F15). According to ASTM, the new subcommittee “will develop standards that provide guidance on how to prepare and analyze a wide variety of consumer product samples for PFAS.” 

New British PM Confirms Online Safety Bill Will Be Taken Forward
September 8, 2022, Out-Law News
The resignation of Boris Johnson as Conservative party leader in July, and the resultant leadership contest that followed, raised the prospect that the Online Safety Bill could be withdrawn. However, responding to a question from former digital minister Jeremy Wright in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Truss confirmed that the Bill has a future under her premiership but hinted that businesses can expect her government to make changes to the draft legislation that was introduced into parliament earlier this year.

Health Canada Says Portable Radon Meter Poses A Health And Safety Risk To Consumers
September 7, 2022, Cambridge Today
The product is a portable, battery powered, radon meter advertised for long- and short-term home radon monitoring. It was sold on Amazon.ca and potentially through other online websites. Health Canada’s Consumer Product Safety Program found that the product poses a health and safety risk to consumers. The product was sold as real-time radon monitor but reports a low value regardless of the actual radon level (with errors greater than 90%). This false reading misleads Canadians who are trying to assess whether or not their homes exceed the national guidelines for radon. This may lead to continued exposure to radon and possible adverse health consequences.  

Additional Murphy Beds Recalled By Consumer Product Safety Commission
September 8, 2022, Woodworking Network
The Consumer Safety Product Commission is recalling 8,200 Murphy beds after they were blamed for injuring 62 users. According to the CSPC, there have been 146 reports of beds falling or breaking. The agency said the beds can detach or break from the wall, posing serious impact and crush hazards. The faulty beds caused broken bones, bruising, lacerations, concussions, and other injuries, the CSPC reported. Earlier this year, the CPSC and Bestar, of Canada, recalled 129,000 wall beds.

The CPSC Promises Higher Civil Penalties And More Aggressive Enforcement
September 1, 2022, National Law Review
The consumer product industry can expect more aggressive enforcement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, including higher civil penalties, increased use of criminal penalties, and the implementation of additional injunctive measures. As part of the CPSC’s self-proclaimed “reinvention” following historic lows in enforcement under the Trump Administration, civil penalties returned in 2021 after a two-year hiatus. The CPSC has continued leveraging civil penalties thus far in 2022—and leadership has expressed a commitment to support higher civil penalties, criminal penalties, and the potential use of additional injunctive measures in the future.

Consumer Product Injuries Rebound 7% In 2021 Following An 18% Decrease In 2020
August 2022, National Safety Council
Following the record low number of consumer product-related injuries reported in 2020, injuries increased 6.8% in 2021. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that in the first seven months of the COVID-19 pandemic, amid the majority of shelter-in-place restrictions, visits to ERs for consumer product-related injuries fell 24%. Over the full year consumer product injuries treated in emergency departments decreased 18% in 2020 compared to 2019. Also, visits for relatively minor injuries (e.g., strains/sprains) decreased over 40%, while more severe injuries like amputations remained relatively stable.

Study: Pregnant Women Exposed To Cancer-Linked Chemicals In Household Items And Dyes
August 30, 2022, The Hill
Pregnant people are being exposed through various household products to toxic compounds that can increase the risk of cancer and harm child development, according to a new study published in Chemosphere. Four types of chemicals used in dyes, called aromatic amines, were also present in the urine of nearly all pregnant participants.

Leading With Confidence In Uncertain Times
August 30, 2022. Harvard Business Review
If you’re looking for a strategy for obtaining certainty, we have bad news for you—the world is complicated. But, if you are looking for ideas to manage the uncertain future, we have good news. Here are five tools for thriving in an uncertain world.

California lawmakers pass landmark children’s online safety bill
August 30, 2022, Washington Post
California state lawmakers passed a major children’s online safety measure that would require digital platforms to vet whether new products may pose harm to kids and teens before rolling them out and to offer privacy guardrails to younger users by default. Children’s safety advocates say the legislation,the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, would make the state a national leader in setting protections for kids and teens online. Its passage is part of a growing push nationwide to hold tech companies like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat accountable for how their services may affect children’s mental health and safety.

What’s The Difference Between An Infant ‘Sleeper’ And A ‘Rocker’?
September 1, 2022, Consumer Reports
Lawmakers from the House Oversight Committee recently sent a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The letter asked questions about the agency’s latest proposed rule on infant sleep products and how the agency plans to interpret a new ban on certain inclined infant products. 

Company Says 230K Polaris Snowmobiles At Risk Of Fire, Need Safety Fix
August 31, 2022, Fox Business
Off-road vehicle manufacturer Polaris has alerted users to a potential fire risk on multiple snowmobile models. Polaris documented at least 30 reports of ruptured fuel tanks. Of those, 16 reportedly resulted in a fire with one report of injury. The company said it is “currently evaluating a comprehensive action plan to correct this concern at no cost to consumers and will contact affected consumers once determined.”

Amusement Park Regulation’s Bumpy Ride
August 31, 2022, The Regulatory Review
Who makes sure amusement park rides are safe? In what might be a surprise to riders, most amusement park rides are not federally regulated. Although the Consumer Product Safety Commission oversees mobile amusement rides and carnival attractions that travel from state to state, fixed-site amusement ride regulation, like those at theme parks, is left to the states.

Maine Makes A Bold Move In Banning Most PFAS-Containing Products
August 30, 2022, JD Supra
Last month, the Maine legislature introduced broad and sweeping restrictions on a range of products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”).  These restrictions are some of the most comprehensive in the country, and, in effect, would ban PFAS in almost all products in the state by 2030. Specifically, the law mandates that on January 1, 2030, “a person may not sell, offer for sale or distribute for sale” products where PFAS have been “intentionally added,” except in cases of “unavoidable use.” 

CPSC To Hold Workshop On Beta Testing Of E-filing Compliance Data For Imported Consumer Products
August 31, 2022, National Law Review
In a notice published in the Federal Register on August 8, 2022, Consumer Product Safety Commission staff announced that the CPSC will hold a workshop on October 13, 2022, to discuss CPSC’s eFiling Program and the Commission’s plans for a joint Beta Pilot Test with Customs and Border Protection.

10 Smart — Not Soft — Skills For Leaders
August 15, 2022, MIT Sloan Management SchoolSince the 1970s when the U.S. Army actively began training soldiers in “important job-related skills that involve little or no interaction with machines,” organizations have cultivated soft skills among their leadership and teams.. But after 50 years of categorizing qualities like problem solver, strong communicator, and good listener as “soft,” it’s time for a change, according to MIT Sloan international faculty fellow Loredana Padurean.

You Probably Have “Forever Chemicals” In Your Body. Here’s What That Means.
August 26, 2022, VOX
Right now, you likely have something unnatural lurking inside your body. It was made by a large corporation and could potentially harm you. Known colloquially as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are a large group of chemicals that make certain products nonstick or stain resistant. Exposure to PFAS is linked to cancers, weakened immune systems among children, weight gain, and a wide range of other health problems.

Smoke Alarm Raises Concerns; Office Of State Fire Marshall Discontinues Distribution
August 31, 2022, America’s News Hub
The State Insurance Commissioner and the State Fire Marshal warned fire departments and residents across North Carolina today about concerns relating to Universal smoke alarms.
The current issue with Universal smoke alarms had come to the attention of the Office of State Fire Marshal as a result of reports from fire chiefs and the diligence of the professionals and volunteers installing the alarms.

Segway Powersports Assessed $5 Million Civil Penalty For Unlawfully Importing ATVs
August 24, 2022, cpsc.gov
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that Segway Powersports Inc. (SPI), of McKinney, Tex., has been assessed a $5 million civil penalty. The settlement resolves CPSC’s charges that SPI knowingly imported ATVs without a CPSC-approved ATV action plan in violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act. CPSC has agreed to suspend all but $1.25 million of the $5 million penalty based on SPI’s sworn representations that paying a penalty exceeding that amount would cause the company financial hardship and compel SPI to cease business operations.

CPSC Chair And Commissioner Statements On Segway Powersports Civil Penalty
August 24, 2022, cpsc.gov
Chair Alex D. Hoehn-Saric Statement; Commissioner Feldman Statement; Commissioner Trumka Statement.

NYC Scooter Battery Fires Double; FDNY Commissioner Seeks CPSC Study
August 25, 2022, Fire Engineering
Interim New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh wrote to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ask for better regulation of e-bike batteries. Her goal is “to prevent future injuries and deaths.” Lithium-ion battery cells, when improperly manufactured, sold, stored or used can pose a serious hazard and imminent danger to lives and property, Kavanagh believes.

Managing Up When Leadership Is Stuck In The Weeds
August 24, 2022, Harvard Business Review
Many of us have been in situations where we’re managing a project or advancing a new initiative at work and the leaders supervising the work get lost in unnecessary details. Here are three strategies to get leaders out of the weeds on a project.

The Effectiveness Of Bicycle Helmets And The Long-Term Impacts Of Bike Accidents
August 25, 2022, National Law Review
In the U.S., over 130,000 people are injured in bicycle crashes every year, according to the CDC. The costs of the injuries and deaths from these crashes typically exceed a staggering $23 billion yearly. An easy and effective way to reduce the number of people injured in bicycle crashes is to make sure that every cyclist wears a helmet.

New Mattress Safety Standards Went Into Effect: Here’s What You Need To Know
August 25, 2022, Sleepopolis
The 2022 federal crib mattress standards went into effect on August 15. Aiming to reduce the risk of injuries related to suffocation, entrapment, and lacerations, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has mandated that all crib mattresses sold in the U.S. comply with all new regulations.

EU Updates Standards Under Safety Regulation
August 25, 2022, InCompliance
The Commission of the European Union (EU) has amended its list of standards that can be used to demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements of its Directive on General Product Safety (GPSD). In mid-August, the Commission amended Annex 1 of the GPSD to add or replace 13 individual standards covering a wide range of products, including children’s furniture and child use and care items and gymnastic equipment.

CPSC Solicits Public Comment On Draft Strategic Plan For 2023-2026
August 26, 2022, cpsc.gov
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has released its Draft Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2023-2026 for public review and comment. The Draft Strategic Plan will guide CPSC programs, regulatory activities and other initiatives to advance its mission of protecting the public from hazardous consumer products.

Indian Survey: Safety, Performance Top Concerns For Electric Scooter Buyers
August 21, 2022, Business Standard
Safety and performance of electric scooters remain top concerns for customers amid a spate of fire incidents in these vehicles recently, which has prompted consumers to hold back on their plans to purchase e-scooters, according to an online survey.

Ontario Boy Hospitalized 10 Days After Accident With Button Battery
August 24, 2022, CTV News
An Ontario mother is speaking out after an accident involving a lithium button battery left her four-year-old son hospitalized for 10 days. Cassandra Sterling of Pickering Ont. told CTV News Toronto Wednesday her son swallowed the small battery on Aug.2 She described quickly taking her son, Akai, to Lakeridge Hospital in Ajax, where the boy was rushed by ambulance to The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. “They told me they would have to do immediate surgery as the battery was lodged between his esophagus and his stomach,” she said.

Shanghai Releases Typical Cases Including Counterfeit Nike And Champion Brand Children’s Clothing
August 25, 2022, National Law Review
On August 23, 2022, the Shanghai Administration for Market Supervision released a set of typical cases from its Three-Year Action Plan for the Quality and Safety Protection of Children’s and Student Products in Shanghai (2021-2023). The Action Plan has so far yielded 8.1014 million RMB ($1.181 million USD) in fines and the first case of the release involves 7.2 million RMB in counterfeit Champion and Nike children’s clothing.

CPSC Chair To Meta CEO: “Strengthen Meta’s Efforts To Prevent The Posting Of Banned And Recalled Consumer Products For Sale On Meta Platforms”
July 13, 2022, cpsc.gov
In a July 13 letter to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, CPSC Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric wrote: “Given the resulting threat to the public health and safety, and the considerable resources and technological expertise of Meta, I urge you to take stronger efforts to identify and prevent the listing of such banned and recalled products before they are offered for sale on your site. This would save lives and prevent needless injuries.”

Q2 2022 Recall Activity: Consumer Product Recalls Ups And Downs
August 17, 2022, Sedgwick
The Sedgwick brand protection recall index shows some ups and downs in Q2. The annual Recall consumer product recalls fell 15.6% in Q2 (from 77 in Q1, to 65). While total impacted units fell 3.5% (to 6.7M) in Q2, the average recall size increased 14.3% (to 103.3K) in the current report. The annual recall index is a vital resource for manufacturers, suppliers and retailers who need an unbiased and educated perspective on past, present and future recall data and product safety trends. The full report is featured in this week’s Product Safety Education newsletter. 

Build Learning Into Your Employees’ Workflow
July 11, 2022, Harvard Business Review  
Effective Learning and Development (L&D) programs are critical for the success of both employees and their employers. Research suggests that an approach known as “learning in the flow of work” can help ensure that learners retain and apply new skills and concepts in their day-to-day workflows. Ultimately, the author argues that to build L&D that works, employers must invest in programs that emphasize ROI, encouraging employees to learn not in the abstract, but directly in the flow of work.

Breakthrough Might Break Down PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’
August 19, 2022, Heath Day
PFAS compounds are known as “forever chemicals” because they degrade slowly in the environment and accumulate in the body, potentially harming human and animal health. Until now. A team of researchers say they’ve figured out a cheap, easy and effective way to break down two of the major classes of PFAS compounds, leaving behind harmless end products.

Ironic: United Airlines sends breast cancer awareness scarf with (cancer warning) to staffers
August 17, 2022, New York Post
United Airlines sent their employees scarves that flight attendants are required to wear during October in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month. And, shockingly, the scarves with tiny pink ribbons carried warnings that they might contain chemicals that can lead to cancer or reproductive harm.

Parents Urged To Watch Out For ‘Dangerous’ Kids’ Toys Flooding The UK From Abroad
August 19, 2022, My London
Parents have been urged not to buy replicas of a popular children’s soft toy after a London council found them to be “potentially dangerous”. The Huggy Wuggy toys, which are from the video game Poppy Playtime, failed essential safety requirements.

Mandatory Safety Standards For Sling Carriers Updated
August 18, 2022, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.C.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a direct final rule updating the current mandatory safety standards for sling carriers to incorporate by reference ASTM’s 2022 version of the voluntary standard (ASTM F2970-22) while retaining the additional requirement for warning label attachment. The updated standards will apply from Nov. 19 unless the CPSC receives significant adverse comment by Sept. 19, in which case it will withdraw the direct final rule before its effective date.

California To Roll Out Safety Standards For E-Bike Riders
August 19, 2022, San Diego Union-Tribune
The California Highway Patrol will develop safety standards for e-bike riders under legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom recently. The law, AB 1946, requires the Highway Patrol to develop statewide safety guidelines and training programs covering topics including general e-bike safety, emergency maneuver skills, rules of the road and laws on electronic bicycles.

Alcohol Drinking Test Launched
August 19, 2022, TTI
Micro-mobility provider Tier has unveiled a new bespoke in-app test to deter riders from drink riding and to point them towards an alternative form of transport if they have been drinking alcohol. Designed to encourage riders to check their sobriety, the test asks them to match the angle of their phone with an angle displayed on a screen. 

Motherboard Recall Only Affects Limited Countries
August 18, 2022, OC3D.net
On August 18, the Consumer Product Safety Commission released a statement regarding the recall of ASUS’s ROG Maximus Z690 Hero motherboard due to “Fire and Burn Hazards. ASUS has confirmed to us that products the model number “90MB18E0-MVAAY0” have never been made available in the UK, EU, and APEC regions. So immediately, most ASUS customers can breathe a sigh of relief. 

New Product Safety Requirements Ahead For Button Cell And Coin Batteries
August 19, 2022, Sandler, Travis, & Rosenberg, P.A.
President Biden has signed legislation that requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate no later than Aug. 16, 2023, a final consumer product safety standard for button cell or coin batteries as well as consumer products containing such batteries. The safety standard must include a performance standard requiring the button cell or coin battery compartments of a consumer product containing such batteries to be secured in a manner that would eliminate or adequately reduce the risk of injury from button or coin cell battery ingestion by children that are six years of age or younger during reasonably foreseeable use or misuse conditions.

What Companies Regulated By The FDA Need To Know About The Consumer Product Safety Commission
August 10, 2022, JD Supra
If your company deals in FDA-regulated products, the last thing you want is to add another set of government rules to your compliance burden. However, as numerous companies can attest, it pays to familiarize yourself with CPSC’s regulations.

To Speak Out Or Remain Silent? Tech Ethics Still Roils Industry
August 10, 2022, Fox 28
When faced with unethical business practices, the question for many employees becomes: Do I speak out or remain silent — and what are the costs for either action? Employees regularly encounter complex ethical issues related to big date, computer privacy, artificial intelligence and other issues. The stakes are high; guidance low.

Solving Tough Problems Requires A Mindset Shift
August 9, 2022, Harvard Business Review
Leaders face a daily barrage of competing demands and multiple stakeholders with different opinions and incentives. The authors provide a three-step process for solving tough problems by adopting a paradox mindset — a comfort and willingness to accept competing demands as a potential source of new ideas and opportunities.

As Kids Prepare To Head Back To School, Doctors Reveal Heavy Backpacks Have To Go
August 10, New York Post
When it comes to your child’s backpack for school this year, experts are saying, “Lighten the load!” The Consumer Product Safety Commission says an estimated annual average of 7,500 kids under 19 years old were treated in ERs for injuries related to backpacks from 2017-2019. 

Ireland: Two Deaths, 42 Serious Injuries Due To E-Scooter Collisions Since 2020
August 10, 2022, The Irish Times
Two people have died and 42 more suffered serious injuries from collisions involving e-scooters since the start of 2020.The figures released by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) come as work continues on long-awaited legislation to regulate e-scooter use amid the growing popularity of the mode of transport in recent years.

Woman Killed On South Carolina Beach By Umbrella Caught Up In Gust Of Wind
August 11, 2022, Fox News
A beach umbrella’s wide canopy allows it to get caught up in a strong wind if it is not anchored properly, while the spiked end poses a danger, says the Consumer Product Safety Commission. About 3,000 people are injured by beach umbrellas every year, according to the Agency.

Guidance: Placing Manufactured Products On The Market In Great Britain
August 10, 2022, UK.gov
An individual, fully manufactured product is placed on the market when it’s first made available for distribution, consumption or use on the GB market in the course of a commercial activity, whether in return for payment or free of charge. This requires an offer or agreement for the transfer of ownership, possession, or any other property right of an individual product, after the stage of manufacture is complete.

Toy Safety Guidelines For Kids Before Choosing
August 10, 2022, ToyHobbyRetailer
Toys are made with a focus on safety, yet no toy is entirely risk-free. These guidelines guide you in selecting and maintaining safe toys. Then, share them with your kids’ caretakers and grandparents to make their homes and presents safer.

As E-Scooter Industry Matures, Riders Move From Renting To Buying
August 11, 2022, San Francisco Examiner
Oliver Bruce, a tech investor and the co-host of the Micromobility Podcast, also sees the transition to personally owned e-scooters as a logical development. High per-ride prices, strict caps on the number of vehicles they can deploy and other regulations imposed by cities have hampered the growth of shared scooter companies.

Opinion: ‘Made In China’ Clothes Poison The World: Hidden Stories Revealed
August 8, 2022, The BL
In 2021, Canadian scientists found that a children’s jacket, sold by Chinese retailer Shein, contained a dangerously high level of lead. It was almost 20 times the safety threshold stated by Health Canada. CBC News highlighted that lead, a popular chemical used for dyeing fabrics, can cause damaging health effects to the brain, heart, kidneys, and reproductive system, with children and pregnant women the most at risk. 

Statement Of Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric On The CPSC’s Settlement With TJX
August 2, 2022, CPSC.gov
The $13 million civil penalty is near the statutory maximum CPSC could have sought had the agency pursued the case in court.  This cap on CPSC’s civil penalty authority, however, is a serious impediment to the agency’s efforts to deter large corporate actors from violating consumer protect laws.  With the market capitalization of the largest retailers calculated in the billions, a penalty of $13 million or even $100 million could easily become a cost of doing businesses.  In order to best protect the public, I urge Congress to remove or dramatically increase the existing limits on CPSC’s civil penalty authority.

U.S Court Of Appeals For The District Of Columbia Upholds CPSC Infant Sleep Product Rule
August 3, 2022, Kids In Danger
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Infant Sleep Product Rule that went into effect on June 23, 2022. The CPSC rule establishes mandatory safety standards for products marketed or intended for infant sleep for babies up to five months old requiring that infant sleep products must have a sleep surface angle of 10 degrees or less. The litigation, Finnbin, LLC vs. Consumer Product Safety Commission challenged the CPSC’s Infant Sleep Product Rule and the agency’s authority to promulgate the rule. Consumer Federation of America and Kids In Danger joined Consumer Reports in an amicus brief strongly supporting the CPSC’s rule and legal promulgation of the life-saving rule.

A Simple Way To Introduce Yourself
August 2, 2022, Harvard Business Review 
Many of us dread the self-introduction, be it in an online meeting or at the boardroom table. Here is a practical framework you can leverage to introduce yourself with confidence in any context, online or in-person: Present, past, and future. 

Congress Passes Bill Named For Toddler Who Died After Swallowing A Battery
August 3, 2022, GMA
A bill designed to help keep young children safe by strengthening safety requirements for products with button batteries has passed both the U.S. House and Senate, and is now headed to the desk of President Joe Biden. The legislation, known as Reese’s Law, is named for Reese Hamsmith, an 18-month-old Lubbock, Texas, girl who died after swallowing a button battery, the small, round batteries found in many home devices and toys.

2 Die In Harlem Fire As Warnings Mount About Scooter Battery Hazards
August 3, 2022, New York Times
A fire in a Harlem apartment early Wednesday sparked by the lithium-ion battery on an electric scooter killed a 5-year-old girl and a 36-year-old woman, and left the child’s father in critical condition, the police and fire officials said. Electronic bikes and scooters have been implicated in numerous fires in recent months, leading the housing authority to propose banning them from its buildings entirely. Experts say the problems are often linked to aging, damaged or malfunctioning batteries and charging devices. The Fire Department has repeatedly warned of the dangers of lithium-ion batteries.

CPSC Releases New Report On Carbon Monoxide Fatalities, Urges Generator Safety In New PSA
August 4, 2022, CPSC.gov
The CPSC estimates that about 85 consumer die in the U.S. each year from CO poisoning from gasoline powered portable generators. This, according to its new report: “Fatal Incidents Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Poisoning from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools 2011-2021.” The report also shows that African Americans are at higher risk, accounting for 23% of generator-related CO deaths, nearly double their estimated 13% share of the U.S. population. 

Former Hasbro Exec Jos Huxley Joins The Toy Association
August 1, 2022, Toybook
Toy safety expert Jos Huxley has joined The Toy Association as senior vice president of technical affairs. In his new role, Huxley, who joins the Association from Hasbro, will lead the continuing development of technical policies and strategies relating to toy safety, environmental sustainability, supply chain issues, factory processes, and other related matters, acting as a guide for member companies navigating these and other issues under the umbrella of technical affairs.

Massachusetts House Passes Bills Regulating E-Bikes, Addressing Traffic Fatalities
August 2, 2022, Patch
The Massachusetts House last week in a bill regulating the use of electric bicycles by considering them as bicycles, instead of a motorized scooter or vehicle as they currently are defined. In an effort to reduce traffic fatalities, the House also passed a bill which requires motorists to keep a safe distance from pedestrians, bicyclists, mobility device users and other vulnerable users of the road. Both bills now go to the Senate for their consideration.

Consumer Reports – The New Rules For Fire Safety
August 4, 2022, Consumer Reports
The number of house fires reported in the U.S. has dropped by half since 1980, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Credit the proliferation of smoke alarms, public education, and better building codes. Yet look beyond that number and the full story isn’t as rosy: Fire deaths in this country have been rising since 2010, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

A Pacific Palisades Girl Was Killed In An Electric Bike Crash. Her Parents Sue Rad Power Bikes
August 5, 2022, Los Angeles Times
Jonathan and Kaye Steinsapir filed suit last week against Rad Power Bikes, the burgeoning company whose product Molly Steinsapir was riding down the steep hill of Enchanted Way with a friend on January 31, 2021. Steinsapir’s friend tried to brake as they sped downhill, but the bike did not stop, and instead the girls lost control and were thrown to the concrete, where Molly lay face down, unresponsive, her helmet still on, according to the lawsuit.