In the News: September 13, 2021

Adler Opposes Termination Of CPSC Rulemaking On Flammability Of Residential Upholstered Furniture
September 8, 2021, CPSC.gov
“I voted against accepting this recommendation…because I thought staff should continue its work to develop a good standard on upholstered furniture flammability. I continue to oppose terminating this work notwithstanding Congress’s enactment of what is known as the SOFFA Act, which directed CPSC to adopt TB-117-20132 as a Commission standard,” Adler said in a statement.

UC Davis Pediatric Physicians Warn Of Button Cell Battery Danger
June 29, 2021, Daily Democrat
Button cell batteries, found in many toys, watches and remote controls, can do serious internal damage if accidentally swallowed. UC Davis pediatric emergency physicians warn families to keep these batteries secure and out of children’s reach. “One of the most frightening emergencies we see are children who accidentally swallow these small batteries. Within moments of ingestion, the current from the battery can start burning through your throat, and that can kill you,” Jonathan Kohler, medical director of pediatric trauma at UC Davis Children’s Hospital said.

Collaboration Overload Is Sinking Productivity
September 13, 2021, Harvard Business Reviews
Collaborative work is up 50% over the past decade to consume 85% most people’s work weeks. The pandemic caused this figure to take another sharp upward tick. These invisible demands are hurting efforts to become more agile and innovative.

Business and Manufacturing: CPSC – Best Practices
2021, cpsc.gov
In addition to meeting the legal requirements…you should take additional steps to ensure that your products not only meet or exceed the requirements of federal safety laws, but are also designed to manufacture as safely as possible.

Second Stage Of Quad Bike Safety Regulations To Come In October
September 7, 2021, The Western Australian
A dangerous Australian farms vehicle is about to become safer, with the 2nd stage of a mandatory standard. Despite 14 deaths in the past decade, quad bikes had not been subject to a safety standard until the 1st stage of new regulations took effect.

Back To School For Administrators: New K-6 Ban List And Laws Regulating Art Supplies
September 8, 2021, JD Supra
As schools reopen and in-person learning resumes, schoolteachers and administrators should be aware of laws regulating the purchasing of art supplies in schools. Here is a review of some of these laws.

Study Shows TV, Furniture Tip-Overs Send A Child To An ER Every 46 Minutes
September 9, 2021, Family Safety & Health
TV or furniture tip-overs resulting in a child needing emergency care occurred every 46 minutes in the U.S. in 2019, according to the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, researchers found that an estimated 560,200 children were treated for injuries from furniture tip-overs over the past three decades.

Eighth Circuit Deeps Two Product Liability Class Actions Off The Road
September 8, 2021, JD Supra
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit published two opinions last month in companion class actions alleging defects with off-road vehicles. With its decisions, the court held that purchaser plaintiffs must allege more than an increased risk of experiencing a defect-related injury in the future. Rather, plaintiffs must allege that a defect has manifested itself in the products they purchased.

Money, Mimicry And Mind Control: Big Tech Slams Ethics Brakes On AI
September 8, 2021, Reuters
In September last year, Google’s cloud unit looked into using artificial intelligence to help a financial firm decide whom to lend money to. It turned down the client’s idea after weeks of internal discussions, deeming the project too ethically dicey because the AI technology could perpetuate biases like those around race and gender. Since early last year, Google has also blocked new AI features analyzing emotions, fearing cultural insensitivity, while Microsoft restricted software mimicking voices and IBM rejected a client request for an advanced facial-recognition system.

Korean Safety Code Amended To Permit Sale Of Modular Home Electronics
September 9, 2021, Korea Bizwire
The government has set afoot efforts to promote the sale of modular home electronics products, aimed at enabling consumers to freely attach or detach specific functions or change external appearances of home electronics products just like they do for furniture. The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards said Wednesday it will revise the operational guidelines of the Electric Appliances and Consumer Product Safety Management Act to allow companies to release modular home electronics items.

Helmets On E-Scooters: Italy Plans New Safety Rules After Boy’s Death
September 5, 2021, The Star
Following the death of a child in an e-scooter accident in Italy, the mayor of Sesto San Giovanni introduced a helmet requirement and a speed limit for the e-scooters. This would make Italy one of the few places requiring a helmet on an e-scooter.

Honoring Our Heroes
SPSP Website
SPSP makes a permanent home for the salute poster at its website.

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Uncategorized