In the News; April 11, 2022

UCLA Study Shows E-Scooter Injury Rate Soaring
April 6, 2022, HealthDay
Riders of e-scooters are more likely to get in an accident and suffer an injury than any other form of personal transport, according to a new study. The work by the University of California Los Angeles estimated that for every million rides made on an e-scooter, about 115 will result in some form of injury. In comparison, motorcyclists face the prospect of an injury 104 times out of a million, and for people on a bicycle it is just 15 injuries per million trips.

Samsung Refrigerators Cited In Hundreds Of Consumer Complaints To Federal Safety Database
April 8, 2022, Consumer Reports
American consumers submitted 613 complaints involving Samsung refrigerators to the Consumer Product Safety Commission from January 2019 through December 2021, according to a study of CPSC complaints conducted by Consumer Reports’ Product Safety team. Samsung is the manufacturer with the highest number of complaints during that time frame, according to CR’s analysis of the records publicly available on the CPSC’s SaferProducts.gov database.

Managers Are Trapped In A Performance-Compassion Dilemma
April 7, 2022, Harvard Business Review
Employees need managers to show compassion. At the same time, executives expect their managers and teams to deliver results. Middle managers often feel the tension most acutely. How can they cope with competing pressures? Focus on 2 sets of actions.

Recall Issued After Woman Killed By Falling Bed
April 7, 2022, Fox 59 Indianapolis
A bed sold online is being recalled after a woman died after it fell on her. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the recall involves 129,000 Bestar Wall beds that can detach from the wall and fall, posing serious impact and crush hazards.

Viewpoint: Earning Your ‘Certified Product Safety Professional’ Certification. One Person’s Experience.
April 6, 2022, ADK Viewpoints Newsletter
Melissa Cairns, legal specialist at the 3M Company discusses how earning her ‘Certified Product Safety Professional’ certification has helped “to deepen my understanding and learn best practices related to managing a product safety incident from start to finish.”

Committee Publishes Update On Impact Of EU Product Safety Regulations
April 5, 2022, UK Parliament Committees
The European Scrutiny Committee has issued an update to its analysis of the impact of the draft EU General Product Safety Regulation on the UK if implemented. The November report highlighted risks that could affect businesses exporting to the EU.

Australia: 3 Months To Go For Button Battery Safety Standards
April 6, 2022, The National Tribune
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is focusing on businesses that supply button batteries or products that are powered by them. The goal is to ensure they are complying with the new button battery safety standards ahead of the laws becoming mandatory on June 22.

Orlando Freefall Tragedy: Ride Safety Expert Says ‘Something’s Got To Change’ With Amusement Park Oversight
April 4, 2022, Fox News
State-by-state regulations on amusement park rides are ‘hit or miss’ and federal regulations needed, a University of Florida lecturer and ride safety expert says. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., sponsored legislation in 2007 that would have given the Consumer Product Safety Commission federal safety oversight over fixed amusement park rides, but it failed to pass.

E-Scooter, E-Bike Safety, Convenience Tech Revealed
April 6, 2022, Forbes
Electric scooters and e-bikes are rapidly growing in popularity as micromobility wheels of choice. That trend is leading technology companies to address two pressing issues for users—safety and convenience. according to a study released last fall by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission emergency room visits due to e-scooter accidents soared from 7,700 in 2017 to 25,400 in 2020.

Washington PFAS Law Takes Aim At Consumer Goods
April 5, 2022, National Law Review
Last month, Washington’s Governor signed into law a bill that significantly accelerates the state’s initiative to develop regulations for various consumer goods that contain PFAS. With increasing attention being given to PFAS in consumer goods in the media, scientific community, and in state legislatures, the Washington PFAS law takes direct aim at a variety of specific products.

Opinion: New PFAS Scorecard For Popular Apparel Brands
April 6, 2022, NRDC
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.), Fashion FWD and U.S. PIRG Education Fund released a first-of-its kind scorecard ranking PFAS policy commitments from a swath of leading retail and apparel brands.

Canada: Amazon Downsizes Its Environmental Impact
April 4, 2022, National Post
Though they are not entirely boxing up the old way of doing business, the online superstore recently introduced new and improved ways to get goods to Canadian shoppers. A new recyclable paper mailer was developed as a way to be mindful of reducing environmental impact and also as a response to customers who also want to see less packaging waste.

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