BJ’s Wholesale Club Agrees To Pay $9 Million Civil Penalty For Failure To Report Portable Air Conditioners Posing Burn And Fire Hazards; One Death Reported
September 9, 2023, cpsc.gov
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing that BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. of Marlborough, Massachusetts, has agreed to pay a $9 million civil penalty. The settlement resolves CPSC’s charges that BJ’s knowingly failed to immediately report to CPSC, as required by law, that portable air conditioners manufactured by Royal Sovereign International, Inc. and sold by BJ’s contained a defect that could create a substantial product hazard and created an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death to consumers.
CPSC Issues Safety Warning For Certain Bassinets Sold Online Due To Suffocation, Strangulation, Fall Risk; Importer Not Offering Remedy To Consumers
September 28, 2023, ABC news 33/40
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers to stop using 5in1 Rocker Bassinets because they pose suffocation, strangulation and fall hazards to infants. The bassinets fail to meet the safety requirements of CPSC’s Infant Sleep Products Rule and do not conform to the requirements for bassinets. In addition, the products lack required markings, labeling and instructions. The importer, Rev. Grace Import Inc., of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, is not cooperating with the CPSC on the recall of this product and not offering a remedy to consumers.
How To Be A Better Leader Amid Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity And Ambiguity
September 27, 2023, Harvard Business Review
More than three decades ago, the U.S. Army War College developed a framework for understanding how leaders succeed during times of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. The framework, known as VUCA, turns out to be better at describing what successful leaders do than teaching all leaders how to succeed. The authors present an updated approach that has generated positive outcomes in military, business and sports contexts.
Sens. Coons, Tillis Introduce Bill To Crack Down On Harmful Counterfeit E-Commerce Goods
September 26, 2023, Sen. Chris Coons
The bipartisan bill, Stopping Harmful Offers on Platforms by Screening Against Fakes in E-Commerce (SHOP SAFE) Act, was introduced by Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tom Tillis (R-NC) to protect consumers from harmful counterfeit products sold online. The SHOP SAFE Act is endorsed by the American Apparel & Footwear Association, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the Toy Association, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America.
Analysis: Preparing For The Legal Effects Of PFAS Legislation And Litigation On Your Business
September 27, 2023, JD Supra
If a business involves manufacturing or sale of physical products, odds are that it will be impacted one way or another by developments in legislation or case law involving per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemical substances (PFAS). Current PFAS-centered litigation is primarily focused on drinking water contamination, as well as with firefighting. However, it is expected that many other routes of exposure to PFAS will become the focus of litigation. The manufacturers, distributors and sellers of these PFAS-containing products will be included in the next wave of defendants.
Is Your Child At Risk Due To Their Toys? Pediatricians Issue Worldwide Alert For Parents
September 27, 2023, Zoom TV
As parents, we do a lot to keep our kids safe. We childproof our homes, choose the best car seats, and teach them to cross the road safely. But one area of child safety that often gets overlooked is the toys our kids play with. Pediatricians around the world are warning parents about potential risks associated with seemingly safe toys.
CPSC Announces $2 Million In Grants To Help Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
September 18, 2023, cpsc.gov
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is seeking applications for its Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Grant Program (COPPGP). The grants are intended to reduce deaths and injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning. “More than 400 Americans die each year from CO poisoning,” said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric. “Carbon monoxide alarms save lives by alerting people to the poison before it is too late. These grants will enable localities to educate their residents and prevent CO poisoning in their communities,” he said.
Six Ways AI Will Revolutionize Risk Mitigation
September 26, 2023, Manufacturing.net
Among the most notable advancements is the integration of artificial intelligence, which provides businesses with significant capabilities in risk mitigation. By leveraging AI-driven solutions, manufacturers and distributors can proactively identify, analyze, and address potential risks—ultimately ensuring smoother operations, reduced losses and improved resilience. Here are several of the key areas where AI has the potential to revolutionize risk management.
Norwegian Research Reveals Link Between PFAS And Delayed Puberty
September 26, 2023, Nutrition Insight|
New research presented at the 61st Annual European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology Meeting has shed light on a connection between synthetic chemicals found in everyday products, such as water-resistant clothing, umbrellas and food packaging and delayed puberty in children. The study, led by Dr. Ingvild Halsør Forthun and a team of researchers in Norway, examined 19 different PFAS chemicals in 420 boys and 618 girls aged six to 16 as part of the Bergen Growth Study 2.
Study Shows: Kids Participating In Sports Need Eye Protection
September 27, 2023, Family Safety & Health
Sports-related eye injuries increased nearly 20% last year compared with 2021, according to estimates from advocacy group Prevent Blindness. Researchers developed the 2022 estimates based on data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Injury Information Clearinghouse and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Prevent Blindness says athletes of all ages should wear protective eyewear while participating in sports. According to the National Eye Institute, protective eyewear can prevent 9 out of 10 sports-related eye injuries.
Many Common Cleaning Products Contain Harmful Chemicals—It’s Safer To Go ‘Green’
September 27, 2023, Health.com
New research found that many popular cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can have harmful effects on your health. Green products—including products without fragrance—emitted the lowest quantities and concentrations of VOCs. Experts recommend choosing products with a third-party seal, like “A Safer Choice,” a “UL ECOLOGO,” or “Green Seal” in order to ensure you’re picking a safer option.
Children Of Color And From Low-Income Families Disproportionately Harmed By Toxic Chemicals, Study Finds
September 27, 2023, Stat News
Children are often exposed to harmful chemicals in air, water, soil, food, food packaging, and plastics. However, low-income children and children of color are disproportionately impacted by these exposures, according to the authors of a study that examines disparities in neurotoxic exposures and their harmful effects on children by race, ethnicity, and economic status. The review, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, highlights racial disparities in toxic chemical exposures and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. The researchers analyzed 218 epidemiological studies conducted over nearly 50 years that examined exposures to air pollution, lead, mercury, organophosphate pesticides, phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and polychlorinated biphenyls.
