In the News: March 7, 2022

Fitbit Smartwatches Present Burn Hazard; 1.7 Million Recalled
March 2, 2022, CNN
The voluntary recall exclusively involves Fitbit Ionic smartwatch models, which contain a lithium-ion battery that can potentially overheat and pose a burn hazard to consumers, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC said there had been at least 115 reports of the watch overheating and 78 reported cases of burn injuries. Two of those reports included cases of third-degree burns and four reports included cases of second-degree burns. The agency said the recall impacts one million devices sold in the United States and an additional 693,000 that were sold internationally.

CPSC Issues Final Rule To Establish A Safety Standard For Crib Mattresses
March 1, 2022, Market Screener
On February 15, 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a final rule for a safety standard for crib mattresses. This regulation includes full-size and non-full-size crib mattresses, as well as after-market mattresses for play yards and non-full-size cribs. It addresses these hazards: Suffocation; entrapment; laceration; and SIDS.

How Data Can Make Better Managers
March 2, 2022, Harvard Business Review
Computational Leadership Science (CLS) allows managers to anticipate, address, mitigate and benefit from the waves of disruption an organization will experience in the future. This article addresses 3 examples in which CLS provides value.

CPSC Rejects Request For Extension Of Tip-Over Rule Comments
March 3, 2022, Furniture Today
The Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to deny a request for an extension of the public comment period on the agency’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Clothing Storage Furniture. AHFA critical of the rejection.

President Biden Threatens Big Tech Over Its “National Experiment” On Children
March 1, 2022, Vox
President Biden believes America, and especially its young people, are experiencing a mental health crisis. According to his State of the Union address, social media is one of the root causes. In his speech, Biden promised to “hold social media platforms accountable for the national experiment they’re conducting on our children for profit.”

Scots Dad Wants ‘Outright Ban’ After Button Battery Burned Hole In Son’s Heart
February 26, 2022, The Sun (UK)
A dad whose baby was killed by a button battery burning a hole in his heart is calling for the pill-sized power cells to be banned. He insists plans to make them safer do not go far enough to prevent another child dying.

Proposition 65 Notices Of The Month: January 2022
March 2, 2022, JD Supra
As compared to prior months, the start of the new year was relatively “slow” in terms of the number of Proposition 65 Notices of Violation that citizen plaintiff groups issued alleging new Prop. 65 violations. It is not uncommon for the total number of Notices issued each month to exceed two or three hundred. However, in January 2022, citizen plaintiff groups issued one 188 Notices. While 188 Notices is still a significant number of alleged violations, there will likely be even more Notices issued in the coming months.

An Update To The “Blue Guide” On The Implementation Of EU Product Rules
March 1, 2022, Cooley
First published in 2000, the Blue Guide is a key guidance document which helps with the interpretation and understanding of EU product rules, based on the New Approach and the New Legislative Framework for the marketing of products.

10 Recommendations For Safer Micromobility
March 2, 2022, FleetEurope
Micromobility is here to stay and will become an increasingly normalized part of any corporate mobility policy. But how safe is it, and how can fleet and mobility managers make it safer? Here are 10 recommendations.

People Want To Get Phones And Appliances Fixed—But Often, They Can’t
February 28, 2022, Consumer Reports
Just 16% of Americans who had a phone break in the past 5 years say that the most recent time they fixed it at home or got it repaired professionally. This according to a nationally representative survey conducted in late 2021 by Consumer Reports.

Blog: Mind-Reading For Managers: Nine Keys To Engagement And Retention
March 2, 2022, Association for Talent Development
Research shows that the key to employee retention is manager quality, connection to staff and comprehension of what the team needs to stay. Leaders must deliver on those expectations or manage them appropriately. Here are 3 points to back this up.

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