Current toxic chemical legislation successes
May 26, 2020, National Caucus of Environmental Legislators
Legislators from around the country have made significant progress on regulation of toxic chemicals. Here are highlights of recent successes,  tracked by a caucus of legislators focused on environmental matters.
Making home safe for kids this summer
May 28, 2020, New York Times
As stay-at-home orders drag on, parents and caregivers will need to be more aware than ever of accident risks in the home. Experts, including CPSC staff, identify common hazards in the home and what can be done to prevent accidents.
Making the best of bad reviews
May 27, 2020, Harvard Business Review
Unfair negative reviews, that stem from unrealistic consumer expectations or are focused on something outside of the company’s control, are common on user-review websites. Given the prevalence of unfair negative reviews, how should companies respond?
COVID-19 shopping habits will remain; Brands race to adapt
May 27, 2020, CNN Business
Every week senior P & G executives check in with each other about their customers. They are not alone in tracking their customers, what they’re buying and how their needs are changing.
4 must-have skills for leaders post-Covid-19
May 28, 2020, Forbes
Now more than ever before it is important for leaders to have strong, effective communications skills. With most stakeholders (including employees) working remotely, effective communications have never been more difficult, but also more important.
My Story: Gary Spagnuolo
February 25, 2018 Safety and Health Magazine
“My path to becoming a safety professional began on Feb. 19, 2000, when I was in my basement building a cabinet. I was using my table saw with a three-quarter-inch dado blade. The board I was cutting kicked backed…” The mishap changed Gary’s life.
CPSC sued over lack of access to consensus standard incorporated into CPSC regulation
May 26, 2020, National Law Review
An interesting and potentially very important case not only in CPSC world but for thousands of statutes and regulations is pending in a federal court of appeals. On May 18th, a civil rights group filed its opening brief against the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the 3rd Circuit case Milice v. CPSC, Docket. No. 20-01373 (3d Cir. Feb 20, 2020).
“The mock recall”: what to do now to avoid a potential recall catastrophe
May 26, 2020, JDSupra
If you are a manufacturer or importer of consumer products, and a potential “catastrophe” shows up on your doorstep in the form of an unexpected product safety complaint, preparing now could prevent an existential threat to the company later.
Hotel industry across U.S. & Canada unite around enhanced safety, cleaning standards
May 21, 2020, American Hotel & Lodging Association
As states across the country navigate reopening and hotels begin to safely welcome back guests, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced that hospitality leaders across North America have endorsed Safe Stay, AHLA’s enhanced industry-wide cleaning guidelines.
A guide to evaluating and advertising COVID-19 products
May 26, 2020, Law360
As businesses consider how to reopen safely, they may be evaluating products, such as disinfectants, sanitizers, ultraviolet sterilizing devices, antimicrobial coatings and air filtration devices, that could help mitigate the transmission and spread of COVID-19 in the workplace or retail establishment.
Gardening safety tips
May 27, 2020, Akron Beacon Journal
You may not associate gardening with the possibility of danger but there are some risks to keep in mind, especially if you’re active in the wintertime. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, emergency rooms treat more than 400,000 outdoor garden tool-related accidents each year.

May 2020: Important happenings at the CPSC
May 18, 2020, Retail and Consumer Products Law Observer
There have been several important happenings in May at the CPSC, including in Leadership, Hearings and Regulatory Activities and Enforcement.
J&J talc phaseout possible prelude to settling lawsuit
May 20, 2020, Boston Globe
Johnson & Johnson’s decision to phase out the talc-based version of its baby powder may signal a move out of litigation-defense mode over allegations the product causes cancer and preparing for a global settlement of almost 20,000 pending claims.
Good leaders can overcome institutional inertia in a crisis
May 18, 2020, Harvard Business Review
Although Covid-19 is clearly a catastrophe, it offers what social scientists craves: a “natural experiment” that compares different responses to similar shocks. Consider Lombardy and Veneto, the regions where the virus first emerged in Italy.
UA, Clorox, Cleveland Clinic join to promote cleanliness
May 20, 2020, CRSNewswire
United’s “CleanPlus” brings together a most trusted name in disinfection and the country’s leading medical experts to develop protocols designed to help keep customers safe at the airport and onboard.
CPSC issues tips to avoid injury outdoors during quarantine
May 20, 2020, CPSC
In response to the current crisis, the CPSC has created a new series of Home Safe Checklists that focus on outdoor activities. Print the lists that work for you, and spend a few moments checking off the safety items. When so much in the world seems beyond control, these checklists are simple, clear steps you can take for the safety of your family.
New antiviral fabrics could attract luxury shoppers
May 20, 2020, Vogue Business
Can your clothing protect you from Covid-19? A leading Italian luxury manufacturer says it has developed an antiviral fabric that may, and major luxury brands are snapping it up.
Spike in product recalls expected in aftermath of COVID-19
May 21, 2020, KCP News
Product recalls are still occurring, but the process has become more challenging and time-consuming as a result of the current regulatory and business environment, according to Stericycle Expert Solutions’ First Quarter 2020 Recall Index.
330+ major businesses call for a more resilient, sustainable economy
May 20, 2020, B3LMedia
CEOs and representatives from more than 330 businesses, including Adobe, Capital One, CommonSpirit Health, DSM North America, Dow, Eileen Fisher, General Mills, Mars, Inc., Microsoft, NIKE, Salesforce and VISA called on a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers to build back a better economy by infusing resilient, long-term climate solutions into future economic recovery plans.
Despite COVID, CPSC policy discussions forging ahead – sort of
May 19, 2020, National Law Review
Much like the rest of the world, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and its constituents and stakeholders are trying to determine how to operate amid the historic disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some CPSC functions – particularly staff-driven operations like recalls – are functioning reasonably well even with a dispersed, telecommuting workforce. But other matters – especially the policy questions that commissioners must answer – present a greater challenge.
Opinion: Is Trump challenging Mother Nature to a duel?
May 20, 2020, The New York Times
if you define wearing a mask, or restrictions on the size of religious gatherings, as a sign of disrespect for your personal freedom — not an act of respect for Mother Nature when she has the whole world in her hands — you’re making a huge mistake.

Emails: Trump nominee involved in shelving CDC guidelines
May 14, 2020, Time
Internal government emails show that Dr. Nancy Beck was involved in sidelining detailed guidelines to help communities reopen during the pandemic. Democrat on Senate committee questions role played by nominee.

Customs officers seize 5,000 lead-contaminated stuffed toy ducks
May 13, 2020, Fox28 Media
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Savannah recently seized 5,000 stuffed toy ducks after they were discovered to have excessive amounts of lead. CBP officers sent the toys to the Consumer Products Safety Communion for further testing.

Class action lawsuit filed against Ikea over faulty furniture recall
May 12, 2020, Consumer Reports
A class action lawsuit was filed against Ikea over a faulty furniture recall of the Malm dresser. Years after the company pulled millions of these unsafe dressers, the suit alleges, consumers are denied refunds.

In-store safety: Shoppers ready to buy, caveats remain
May 13, 2020, Forbes
It’s not surprising that apparel retailers are looking optimistically toward the lift of lockdowns. But even shoppers who are willing to go back in-store are envisioning an experience that bears little resemblance to how we shopped in the past.

Costco’s Kirkland and other store brands are having a moment
May 12, 2020, CNN
Store-brand toilet paper used to be a second choice. But what may have once been the loneliest item on the shelf is now in high demand as Americans increasingly experiment with alternatives to their favorite consumer product labels.

How COVID is changing kids’ play patterns
May 12, 2020, Kidscreen
Thanks to COVID-19, the way kids are playing is changing and some of these effects will have longer-term implications. Looking at the pandemic’ effect on toys, total US toy sales grew by 26%. And, board games have doubled in popularity among kids.

COVID-19: Steps to protect brands as at-risk retailers face bankruptcy
May 6, 2020, National Law Review
Multiple American flagship retailers, including major department stores, now stand on the verge of bankruptcy, and the “death of the department store” has been well-documented in the media, with numerous retailers already furloughing or laying off staff and closing doors, with more to come.[1] If they have not done so already, product manufacturers must prepare for the possibility that their retail partners may face insolvency and file for bankruptcy.

Scope of online reviews: In litigation evolving
May 10, 2020, National Law Review
Online reviews can be used in litigation matters and, if employed appropriately, can be a useful source of data for expert witnesses. For example, in consumer fraud or product liability cases, online reviews can be analyzed to determine whether consumers identified and commented on alleged defects.

Global juvenile products market assessment 2020-2025
May 13, 2020, Business Wire
The global juvenile products market grew at a CAGR of 6.8% during 2014-2019. Looking forward, the market is anticipated to grow moderately during the next five years. The growth of global juvenile product market is primarily driven by increasing disposable income levels, emergence of e-commerce platforms, growing working women population, rising parental concerns towards child safety, and implementation of various regulatory policies pertaining to child protection.

Product shortages: Supply chains must become less efficient
May 12, 2020, Forbes
Supply chain disruptions are wreaking havoc with everything from supplies of toilet paper to meat. To address this issue in the post-COVID world, businesses are rapidly shifting supply chains from global to local and from efficiently lean to flexibly risk-proof.

Wawa pays $3M after NJ toddler severely burned by hot water
April 21, 2020, 92.7 wobm
Wawa Convenience Stores will pay $3M following burns to a toddler from hot water spilled from a teacup. The settlement, triggered by a 2018 federal lawsuit, awarded $2.55M to the child and $450.000 to the mother.

Washington Poison Center notes increase in poison reports
April 22, 2020, MLT News
The Washington Poison Center (WAPC) urges caution with cleaning products during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to WAPC data, the number of exposures to household cleaning products (bleach, soaps, detergents) was up 23% over the prior year.

Lysol maker warns against internal use of disinfectants
April 24, 2020, NBC News
The manufacturer of Lysol, a disinfectant spray and cleaning product, issued a statement warning against internal use after President Trump suggested that people could get an “injection” of “the disinfectant that knocks the virus out in a minute.”

CPSC: COVID-19 home safety checklists
March 27, 2020, CPSC Website
CPSC continues to protect the public from dangerous consumer products through science, investigation, corrective action and communication. In response to the current crisis, CPSC has created a series of Home Safe Checklists for people of all ages.

Chipolte to pay $25M to resolve criminal charges
April 21, 2020, CNN Business
Chipolte Mexican Grill has agreed to pay a record $25M fine to resolve criminal charges involving food-safety violations, the Justice Department said.

How brands can adapt to changing consumer behavior
April 17, 2020, Forbes
As the COVID-19 pandemic is the first national crisis in the age of “startup disruptors”, a Forbes writer was curious how young, innovative companies adapt to the current environment.

Consumers now are focused on food availability as much as safety
April 21, 2020, National Newswatch
With far more meals being consumed at home, the importance of the agrifood supply chain is receiving a lot more attention from consumers than in the past, says the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. While the first month of work from home and physical distancing because of COVID-19 passed without any major supply problems, “whether this reality will continue is significantly complicated by the variety and length of Canadian agri-food supply chains,” CAPI says in a report authored by leading agrifood experts.

COVID-19 pandemic highlights consumer product safety, compliance issues in 3D printing
April 20, 2020, JDSupra
Businesses and individuals need to be aware of the regulatory issues and potential liability risks associated with producing 3D printed products, both in response to the COVID-19 crisis[1] and in all aspects of the manufacture and sale of consumer products.

Blog: What insurance brokers need to know about product recall exposure for SMEs
April 20, 2020, Insurance Age 
If you search for a washing machine or dryer at the moment, you’ll be flooded with information about a recall of up to 519,000 units of various Whirlpool brands, which could potentially overheat or catch fire. Whilst this is a significant event for Whirlpool, it is just one example of product recalls that occur in the global manufacturing industry on a daily basis – the true impacts of which can often be underestimated by the manufacturer with potentially devastating consequences.

Real-time data & analytics is a manufacturers’ best strategy in a downturn
April 20, 2020, Forbes
Putting employees first and protecting them by combining real-time monitoring, analytics, and automation to streamline production enables manufacturers to keep producing much-needed medical supplies and serve customers.

WA high court reinstates $18 million GMA laundering penalty
April 16, 2020, SeattlePI
State AG Bob Ferguson (above):  Will not treat violating campaign finance laws as a “cost of doing business.”  GMA led opposition to 2013 ballot initiative on labeling foods and seeds.

Amazon settles lawsuit over unsafe, counterfeit hoverboard
April 14, 2020, Securing Industry
Amazon has settled a lawsuit alleging that a house fire and injuries were caused by a defective, counterfeit hoverboard. The suit claimed family’s $1m home was destroyed by a fire caused by the battery in the FITURBO F1 hoverboard toy.

Opinion: America still needs Walmart to do more
April 15, 2020, Forbes
I lauded Walmart for wanting to help people work and shop as safely as possible. There are 3 more things that it can do to reach this goal.

Trump and Cuomo finally agree on one thing: Wear masks
April 16, 2020, Market Watch
There’s a mandatory push for Americans to wear masks, but do they actually work? And are the government’s ever-changing policies on face masks reliable or helpful? Unlike Cuomo’s executive order, federal guidelines are voluntary.

Businesses warn fear of lawsuits could stall rebooting of economy
April 15, 2020, Insurance Journal
Litigation surrounding coronavirus responses is already underway and businesses are warning that the fear of more lawsuits could hinder the reboot of the U.S. economy. Returning America to work will require coordination between government and business and resolution of a number of regulatory, legal and liability issues, according to the Chamber of Commerce.

Opinion: COVID-19 starts societally-safe product design
April 14, 2020, Venture Beat
“I am convinced, that, when this pandemic ends, we won’t see the back to normal closure we all hope for.” A change in consumer habits will find a whole new category of products emerge.

The importance of social media in communicating changes and delays to recall remedies and information
April 13, 2020, JDSupra
While the CPSC has long suggested to consumer product manufacturers that they use websites, customer service phone numbers and social media to relay recall information to consumers, the latter will most certainly be an important consideration in the weeks and months ahead.

The Health 202: Coronavirus means Americans are finally embracing virtual health care
April 8, 2020, Washington Post
Millions of Americans being quarantined may be what finally gets telemedicine widespread acceptance in the United States. The pandemic is prompting a seismic shift among policymakers, providers and patients as they contemplate how to ensure Americans can get needed care even as most of the country practices social distancing.

Law Enforcement COVID-19 Guidance: Cybercrime, Scam, and Fraud Trends
April 16, 2020, Morrison Foester Client Alert
As in-house counsel, compliance, and security teams worldwide are adjusting to life amid the global pandemic, so too are criminal and nation-state cyber actors. These actors are now leveraging the pandemic, public fear and an expanded remote-work attack surface to conduct hacking campaigns. The Department of Justice, FBI and other law enforcement organizations have prioritized the detection, investigation and prosecution of criminal conduct seeking to exploit the pandemic.

Study: Treatment of workers impacts consumer shopping decisions
April 14, 2020, WDRM.com
How essential retailers treat their employees during the coronavirus is having a significant impact on consumer shopping decisions according to a new study by First Insight. The company found that overall, 59 percent of respondents surveyed in early April stated that they would shop less at an essential retailer that has sick employees come to work.

CPSC advances rulemaking on crib bumpers to protect infants; Proposed rule would remove padded, pillow-like bumpers from the market
March 26, 2020, cpsc.gov
In an effort to protect infants from suffocation and death associated with padded crib bumpers, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously to advance rulemaking on a federal safety standard for crib bumpers. The proposed rule would prohibit the sale of padded, pillow-like bumpers that fail to meet minimum air flow requirements. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) posits a mandatory safety standard for crib bumpers that would replace the current voluntary ASTM standard with tougher requirements to reduce the risk of injury and death to infants.
How South Korea Solved Its Face Mask Shortage
April 1, 2020, The New York Times
A “mask crisis” that created chaos in production and distribution was solved when the central government decided to intervene and purchase huge numbers of masks and distribute them to the country’s pharmacies at discounted prices.
Fixing America’s broken coronavirus supply chain
March 30, 2020, Axios
The senior Navy officer now in charge of fixing America’s coronavirus supply chain is trying to fill the most urgent needs: ventilators and personal protective gear. But barely a week into his role at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he’s still trying to establish what’s in the pipeline and where it is.
Mattel produces urgently needed face masks using Barbie fabric
April 1, 2020, License Global
As the cases of COVID-19 continue to rise at an alarming rate, healthcare workers have signaled the alarm across the nation with a resounding plea, urgently requesting more personal protecting equipment (PPE), without which they risk their lives each day. Global entertainment giant Mattel has answered the call, throwing its manufacturing muscle into the protection of healthcare workers and the prevention of the spread of the insidious virus. The company has announced it is using fabric intended to produce its iconic Barbie dolls and Fisher-Price products to produce face masks for the nation’s fleet of essential healthcare workers.
Lawmakers Question Start-Ups on At-Home Kits for Coronavirus Testing
March 25, 2020, The New York Times
Three companies that rushed to market unauthorized kits for at-home coronavirus testing face new questions from lawmakers in Washington. On Wednesday, two House Democrats, Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois and Katie Porter of California, sent letters to the chief executives of Carbon Health, Everlywell and Nurx, asking them to explain their business and testing practices, noting that the Food and Drug Administration had not authorized any at-home specimen collection kits for coronavirus testing because “their accuracy has yet to be clearly determined.”
Interactive product labels require new regulations, study warns
March 26, 2020, Science Daily
Artificial intelligence will be increasingly used on labels on food and other products in the future to make them interactive, and regulations should be reformed now so they take account of new innovations, a study warns. Thanks to the increased use of smartphones, smart-watches and other interconnected products, labelling on foods and other goods may become more personalized and thus more helpful, addressing consumer concerns, such as nut allergies.
Revisions to Safety Standard for Children’s Folding Chairs and Stools
April 1, 2020, Federal Register
In December 2017, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a consumer product safety standard for children’s folding chairs and stools. The standard incorporated by reference the applicable ASTM voluntary standard. This direct final rule is effective on July 6, 2020, unless there are significant adverse comment by May 1, 2020.
California’s New Priority Product Under SCP Program: Carpets/Rugs Containing PFAS –
March 31, 2020, Jdsupra.com
California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control recently proposed to add carpets and rugs containing perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a Priority Product under the state’s Safer Consumer Products program. This is a new step in the evolution of how states and government agencies are seeking to regulate and reduce exposure to PFAS in the face of delayed federal action.
Identifying and mitigating the product liability risks associated in the U.S. posed by SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19
March 31, 2020, JdSupra.com
If any of the products you manufacture, sell or otherwise handle are alleged to be related to any COVID-19 virus exposure, or if there is any reasonable potential for such a claim, you should be prepared to anticipate products liability suits. If a consumer is exposed to the COVID-19 virus as a result of using a product that is deemed “defective,” that consumer may contend that the manufacturer, distributor, seller or others in the chain of commerce should be held liable.
Putting traceability top of the agenda – is your company hoping for the best or planning for the worst?
March 27, 2020, Process and Control
The threat of costly product recalls is having a significant impact on businesses across the manufacturing sector. Leadership teams are coming under increased pressure to track and account for every stage of the production process. They are having to focus much more closely on issues such as health and safety regulations; the challenges of global supply chains and cost cutting; an increase in malicious product tampering and extortion; growing consumer awareness and the influence of social media. In response, traceability software, crisis management plans, and mock recall simulations are now essential rather than nice-to-haves. Paulo de Matos, SYSPRO Chief Product Officer, insists our Movers and Makers shouldn’t be hoping for the best but planning for the worst.