ALARM GROWS OVER AMUSEMENT PARK RIDES’ THREAT TO SAFETY
>Kansas water slide death highlights concerns about theme park oversight nation wide
August 8, 2016, Fox News (video)
The death of a 20-year-old Kansas boy, Caleb Schwab, has renewed concerns about conditions at America’s waterparks. The boy, son of Kansas State Representative Scott Schwab, died while riding a 168-foot-high slide at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas. The ride, which can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, opened in 2014 after multiple delays due to failed safety tests. Mobile rides, like those found at circuses and traveling carnivals, can be inspected by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, but theme parks with permanent fixed rides like roller coasters and water slides are exempt from federal oversight due to a “self reporting deal the theme parks negotiated to avoid routine inspections.”
>Amusement park death highlights need for safety
August 9, 2016, USA Today
The death of a 10-year-old Kansas boy at a giant water slide highlights the fact that fun doesn’t always mean safe. A 2013 study by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a pediatric and research center found that from 1990 to 2010, 92,885 children under 18 were treated in U.S. emergency rooms for amusement ride-related injuries, or an average of 4,423 per year. More than 70% of those injuries were in the summer months of May through September.
>Boy falls off Pennsylvania roller coaster
August 11, 2016, WESH.com (video)
The nation saw its fourth amusement park incident in five days when a boy apparently fell out of a roller coaster in Pennsylvania. The child was air lifted to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. Details were sketchy about the child and injuries he received at Idlewild and SoakZone in Ligonier. The roller coaster was built in 1938 and does not include seat belts. The roller coaster was inspected August 6 and passed, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which oversees the state’s 10,200 amusement rides.
Your Place: Regulators seek safety labels on flooring
August 11, 2016, The Herald/Philadelphia Inquirer
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is tackling a very interesting problem. The National Floor Safety Institute has petitioned it to require floor covering manufacturers to label their products to indicate that there is a possibility of slips and falls that could result in injury. However, flooring manufacturers are vehemently opposed. One company says that “providing coefficient of friction information on product packaging misdirects the consumer and can lead to a false sense of safety.” A spokesman for the Tile Council of North America, the trade association representing the ceramic tile industry, says “safe floors are only insured by keeping floors clean and dry.”
Safety groups, grieving mom call for stricter furniture safety standards
August 9, 2016, Chicago Tribune
Consumer safety advocates are calling for stricter and enforceable standards for furniture after a report shows current criteria do not keep children safe from dresser tip-overs. The 21-page report by nonprofit safety groups Kids In Danger and Shane’s Foundation, named for a boy who lost his life in a dresser tip over accident in 2011, details the findings after tests on 19 different dressers. Nine of the 19 passed performance tests based on current safety standards developed by ASTM International, while only two passed more rigorous tests developed by Kids In Danger. Of the 19 tested, four have been recalled since the groups began work on their report about a year ago.
California struggles to lead the way on drone regulation
August 5, 2016, Los Angeles Times
Fans and critics of drones, those buzzy, compact remote controlled aircraft that have become all of the rage among hobbyists, expect the skies to become very crowded in coming years. Drones are being eyed by industry and government agencies to perform work that’s too costly or dangerous for human. The drone industry emphasizes the aircraft’s potential in arguing for measured- or self-regulation, while the FAA leaves most regulation to state and local authorities, except in areas around airports. California is struggling because of some of its most popular areas are bedeviled by drones, creating an increasing risk.
Takata recall spreads to more BMWs
August 9, 2016, goauto.com.au
Takata’s seemingly endless global airbag recall saga continued to spread with another 28,577 BMW models now added to the list of vehicles that may be rolling on Australian roads fitted with potentially dangerous airbags. That figure pales by comparison with the United States where the tally for effected vehicles has passed 68 million, spreading to a number of major global automakers, including General Motors, Ford, Daimler, BMW, Honda, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Subaru, Nissan, Fiat, Chrysler, and Toyota.
UK to benefit from supply chain changes following Brexit vote
August 9, 2016, Cambridge News
The origin of the products on British shelves could change as retailers adjust their supply chains following the UK’s vote to leave the EU, finds new research published by Barclays. In a potentially positive sign for the British economy, a third of retailers (32%) predict they will source from the UK, with only 12% expecting a reduction. Asia could also be a winner; 52% expect to increase supply chain activity in India, and 43% in China.
New ACCC app lists unsafe goods
August 9, 2016, psnews.com.au
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched a new online service for consumers to check that the goods they buy are safe. The app, Product Safety Australia, includes recalls pages and allows consumers a single entry point to national, State and Territory product safety and recalls information. There were 670 recalls in Australia last financial year compared to 596 the previous financial year.
Product recall in the digital era
August 8, 2016, CXOToday.com
Moving from the age of manufacturing in India, with a focus on productivity and cost reduction to the age of the customer has seen a steep rise in the number of product recalls. The year 2015 saw the highest number of automobile recalls in India for more than one million vehicles according to the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The Internet, mobile and social media platforms have provided companies a way to keep customers engaged and loyal. The flip side is that company risks have increased due to product recalls and the threat to customer brand loyalty and purchase habits.
