In the News: December 5, 2022
Association Files Suit Challenging New CPSC Rule On Custom Window Coverings
December 1, 2022, Home Textiles Today
How long is too long? That’s the issue in dispute in the lawsuit filed last week by the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) against the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC’s new rule for operating cords on custom window coverings, which was published Nov. 28, 2022, determined that cords longer than 8 inches pose an unreasonable risk of strangulation to children 8 years old and younger. The CPCS now requires that such products meet the same requirements as operating cords on stock window coverings. The effective date of the rule is May 30, 2023. The rule will apply to all custom window coverings manufactured after that date.
Urgent Safety Alert Issued For Baby Self-Feeding Pillows – Risk Of Death
November 30, 2022, West Bridgford Wire
The UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued an Urgent Safety Alert for baby self-feeding pillows and is urging the public to stop using them immediately and dispose of them safely. The agency says self-feeding pillows/prop feeders present a risk of serious harm or death from choking or aspiration pneumonia. Baby self-feeding pillow products are designed to be attached to a bottle so that the baby may be positioned on its back to self-feed without the assistance of a caregiver holding the bottle and controlling the feed.
How To Communicate Your Company’s Strategy Effectively
November 29, 2022, Harvard Business Review
For too long, communicating strategy has been an afterthought. Executives have shared long, bombastic documents or withheld critical information and expected people to just “get it.” And it hasn’t worked. Here are five actions that will improve the clarity and quality of communication, enabling stakeholders to make a more substantive and meaningful contribution to the strategy.
Q3 Product Recalls Tip U.S. Further Into Record-Breaking Year
December 1, 2022, Sedgwick
Third-quarter U.S. recall data show that the number of products recalled this year has officially reached a 20-year high. According to the U.S. product recall index released by Sedgwick’s brand protection division, 1.22 billion units have been involved in recalls across the five industries tracked in the index, breaking the previous record of 1.20 billion set in 2018.
Mary T. Boyle: A Profile Of The Newest CPSC Commissioner
December 1, 2022, JD Supra
The President swore in a new CPSC Commissioner on June 30, 2022. Mary T. Boyle, however, is not an entirely new face at the agency. She has served in various positions within the CPSC for more than a decade. Her background includes her services as the CPSC’s Executive Director since 2018. She has also served as CPSC’s Senior Counselor for Policy and Planning, General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel.
Parents Told To Cut Recalled Children’s Toy In Half, Throw It Away
December 1, 2022, CBS4Indy
Parents who bought an activity toy for their children are being told to cut it in half and throw it away following a report of a potentially faulty seam. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said HABA is recalling its Discovery Cubes Animal Hide and Seek activity toys because the seam on the activity toy’s house can open. This would allow a young child access to the toy’s filling, posing choking and ingestion hazards if placed in the mouth.
PFAS Legal Liability Exposures: What Thousands Of Manufacturers Need To Know
November 28, 2022, Risk and Insurance
Though we’re still awaiting an official EPA standard for PFAS contamination, lawsuits concerning the presence of these toxic chemicals in waterways have taken off in recent years. Since 2005, there have been 6,400 PFAS-related lawsuits, Bloomberg reported. The chemicals — which have been linked to health conditions ranging from cancer to infertility to asthma — are used in everything from nonstick cookware to water-resistant clothing and firefighting foams. “PFAS are used in almost every consumer good that we have in some way,” said Jamie Langes, vice president of environmental underwriting for Philadelphia Insurance Companies. “Everyone, therefore, is likewise going to have to pay in some respect for PFAS. Just, to what extent?”
Report Urges: Expand Unfair Import Law To Better Target China
December 1, 2022, STRTrade.com
A new report urges Congress to expand Section 337 of the 1930 Tariff Act to better address the unfair trade practices China uses to capture market share in advanced industries. The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation argues that “the new Washington consensus is that China is a threat, Chinese government trade policy actions are mostly unfair and predatory, and [China] is moving away, rather than toward, its WTO obligations.”
Opinion: It’s Time To Ban The Electric Centaurs From Our Cities
November 30, 2022, Fast Company
E-scooters invaded our cities and now they’re taking over public transit, ruining the lives of commuters. Take their safety record, for example. According to a report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, between 2017 and 2021 there were 117,600 people injured in electric scooter incidents, including 68 dead.
Over 8 million Laundry And Cleaning Products Recalled Due To Possible Bacterial Contamination
December 1, 2022, Good Morning America
The Laundress first issued a safety notice on Nov. 17, urging customers to stop using its products completely. “We have identified the potential presence of elevated levels of bacteria in some of our products that present a safety concern,” the company wrote in part, before adding that it would provide an update at a later date. Last week, the company expanded the safety notice into a recall.
Why Product Safety Is Crucial To The Manufacturing Industry
December 1, 2022, Manufacturer
Manufacturing has come a long way from the simple assembly lines of the past. Its current implementation of digital technology has made it safer, faster, and more cost-effective. But amid all of this, one thing remains important: the satisfaction and safety of consumers. This is why product safety is such a key aspect of manufacturing.
