CPSC Approves New Magnet Safety Standard For Certain Non-Toy Products
October 3, 2022, The Toy Association
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has unanimously approved a final rule for the safety standard for magnets, including loose or separable magnets used in non-toy products. The standard also includes magnets for entertainment, stress relief or jewelry. Commonly referred to as the “adult magnets” rule, it is designed to address magnets that are outside the scope of the toy standard.
Product Safety Education Group Partners With Virginia Tech In Washington, D.C. Area
October 7, 2022, EIN News
The Society of Product Safety Professionals (SPSP) and its education program collaborator, ADK Information Services, LLC, have formed a partnership with Virginia Tech to offer the group’s Consumer Product Safety Professional Certification Program. The program provides education and supports professional development for people in the product safety field. Those who complete this training course earn the designation Certified Product Safety Professional™. The program, scheduled to begin next Spring, will be held at the Virginia Tech Research Center — Arlington, VA, near Washington, D.C.
4 Myths About In-Person Work, Dispelled
October 4, 2022, Harvard Business Review
The authors hear many myths when it comes to what in-person learning — or in-person experiences more generally — can achieve. Here, they’ll dispel the ones they hear most often and show you how to maximize connection from in-person learning events.
Crash Test Dummies For E-Scooters
October 4, 2022, TechXplore
The risk associated with these speedy runabouts is widely underestimated. In response to this, Fraunhofer researchers studied a typical accident scenario and the associated injuries as part of the HUMAD project. The experts also tested novel materials for helmets and protective gear. These could provide much better protection than conventional products.
California Bans PFAS In Textiles, Cosmetics But Governor Vetoes Reporting Requirement
October 5, 2022, Morgan Lewis
Last month, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills banning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in textiles and cosmetics. He also vetoed a bill that would have required manufacturers and certain other businesses to submit annual reports concerning the usage of PFAS in products sold or imported into the state. These new consumer regulations will have far-reaching implications for companies up and down the supply chain doing business in California.
Legislative Update: Tariffs, Product Safety And China Restrictions
October 4, 2022, Sandler Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
A review of several important House and Senate action, These include introduction of the Fair Tariff Act and the No Chips For China Act and Senate approval of the STURDY Act.
White House Proposes Voluntary Safety And Transparency Rules Around AI
October 4, 2022, TechCrunch
The White House this morning unveiled what it’s colloquially calling an “AI Bill of Rights,” which aims to establish tenets around the ways AI algorithms should be deployed as well as guardrails on their applications. It explicitly calls out algorithmic discrimination, saying that AI systems should be designed to protect both communities and individuals from biased decision-making. And it strongly suggests that users should be able to opt out of interactions with an AI system if they choose, for example in the event of a system failure.
Transportation Research Board Releases New Report Identifying Deficiencies Impacting E-Scooter Rider Safety
October 7, 2022, Green Car Congress
A new research report released by the Transportation Research Board (TRB), E-scooter Safety: Issues and Solutions, finds that amid a rapid rise in the use and prevalence of electric scooters (e-scooters) on US roads and sidewalks, more must be done to address regulatory, infrastructure and educational deficiencies that are putting riders at risk. The research was conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in conjunction with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Safe Streets Research and Consulting; Equitable Cities; and Populus. The report, released under the Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program (BTSCRP), found that available data and research evaluating e-scooter safety are lagging behind the rapid adoption and expansion of this form of transportation commonly referred to as micromobility.
India: Baby Chakra Launches National Label Education Campaign With #Babychakrakilist
October 3, 2022, afaqs
The parenting platform BabyChakra released Definitive List to raise awareness of toxins that find their way into many seemingly natural and even premium baby & childcare products.
The list is titled #BabychakraKiList: Ingredients We Say No to. The Objective of the list is to urge parents to be aware of what is going in their baby’s products.
Recall Litigation Report: Plaintiffs Seek To Consolidate Recall-Related Lawsuits Against Exactech
October 3, 2022, Retail & Consumer Products Law Observer
A group of plaintiffs recently filed a motion with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to consolidate all Exactech join replacement lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The consolidated case would include over two dozen lawsuits about injuries from Exactech’s knee and hip systems and an undisclosed number of future cases that plaintiffs intend to file over Exactech’s ankle systems.
Outdoor Stove Recalled In Canada Over Potential Gas Leak
October 6, 2022, CTV News
Health Canada has issued a recall notice for an outdoor gas stove following the discovery of a potential leak that could pose a fire hazard. The joint recall Thursday from Health Canada, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and product importer Katadyn Canada, ULC advises users to “immediately stop” using the Optimus Gemini two-burner gas stove and return it to their original place of purchase for a full refund. The notice says the stove’s gas regulator could have a tear in the seal, which may cause a gas leak.
