Blind dangers: CPSC pushes for ban on corded window coverings
November 5, 2015, komonews.com
Despite 30 year focus on issue, CPSC reports children are still dying at the rate of 1 per month. While industry leaders point to greatly reduced strangulation incidents, CPSC Chairman Kaye says voluntary guidelines are not working. He says: “I see decades, and I’m talking decades about children getting hanged to death once a month on these products. And it’s gotta stop.”
CPSC Proposes a safety standard for children’s folding chairs and stools
October 19, 2015, CPSC
The Commission proposes modifications to the ASTM voluntary standard to 1) limit the scope of the proposed mandatory standard, 2) change the stability test method to add a new performance requirement and test method, and 3) revise the marketing and labeling sections. Comments to the proposed rulemaking are due January 4, 2016.
Safety standards for bicycles getting globalized
November 5, 2015, Bike-EU
The globalization of standards for bicycles is the result of long term discussion between industry stakeholders, test-houses, and experts from universities in Europe, America, and Asia. The first ISO 4210-2 was published September 1, 2015 for city/trekking/MTB/road and young adult bikes. The development has clarified the transition from CEN standards to ISO ones.
Lumber Liquidators names a new CEO as sales slump persists
November 4, 2015, Forbes
The new CEO, John Presley, has been a board member since before Lumber Liquidators went public. The embattled flooring company stock is down 79% this year, brought on, in part, by a “60 Minutes” report that the company sold Chinese-made laminated floors with formaldehyde levels that surpassed California health standards.
Takata hit with $70M fine, but could face another $130M
November 3, 2015, The Detroit Bureau
Even as the supplier faces the prospect of new recalls, Takata could in for a fine of as much as $200M it doesn’t follow up on deamnds laid out in a consent decree with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Honda to stop using their airbags.
Feds announce drone registration task force participants that includes leading retailers
October 29, 2015, The Hill
The Federal Aviation Authority has created a 26-member task force to craft a new system for requiring drone users to register with the federal government, including among task force members representatives from consumer product retailers. Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy representatives, whose companies have been urging the government to develop rules that will allow drones to make deliveries of products, are among task force members. The panel is expected to issue a report by November 20 to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Food, dietary supplement & cosmetics regulatory update
October 19, 2015, Lexicology
An analysis of current agricultural regulatory developments reflects on the status of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (“TPP) after five years of negotiation and the recent closing of a pact with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak says the “agreement would eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs on our products, deter non-science based sanitary and phytosanitary barriers that have put American agriculture at a disadvantage in TPP countries in the past.”
Food for thought on chemical safety
November 2, 2015, Chemical and Engineering News
A veteran inorganic chemists argues that the culture of laboratory safety must not be compromised. A recent string of high profile accidents seems to indicate that the culture of safety is ‘becoming lost,’ leading the author to conclude that ‘pursuing new research safely is at least as important as pursuing new research.’
Six supply chain trends shaping the future of engineering & manufacturing
November 2, 2015, ebnonline
DHL report claims engineering and manufacturing companies have begun to reshape their business models for a sector that accounts for 17% of GDP, 14% of employment globally, and 70% of the entire global trade volume. Trends reflect focus on becoming more customer centric and competitive.
