Consumer Product Safety News

Auto Safety  |  Children's Safety  |  Consumer Product Safety - General
Electrical & Electronics Safety  |  Fire Safety
Food Safety  |  Health, Medical & Sports Safety

Auto Safety

Frost: Legislation, Lower Prices Boost Uptake of Sensor Technology in Auto Applications   Jun 9, 2008
Regulatory compliance and increased affordability drive the adoption of new sensor technology in vehicles, according to Frost & Sullivan.

EC Proposes Car Safety Legislative Package  May 28, 2008
The European Commission (EC) recently proposed a package of vehicle safety measures that will replace more than 150 existing directives with a single regulation that is directly applicable in the European Union (EU) and refers to harmonised United Nations standards.

EU Moves to Greener, Safer, Smarter Road Transport System  May 28, 2008
The Transport Research Arena 2008 Conference and Expo began on April 21, bringing together over 1,000 senior executives from the European Union (EU) road transport industries, national and EU administrations, infrastructures operators, public and private R&D organisations and users' associations.

ISO to Develop Management System Standard for Global Road Safety   Feb 22, 2008
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved the creation of a new project committee to develop an international standard for road traffic safety management systems.

ABI: Radar Positioned to Lead Active Safety Market  Jan 15, 2008
With passive safety systems in place, the automotive industry is now looking to active safety systems to help reduce driver error on the road, according to ABI Research.

NIST Measures Performance of Auto Crash Warning  Jan 14, 2008
Engineers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed and tested a laser-based ranging system to assess the performance of automobile collision warning systems.

ABI: Camera-Based Safety Systems to Reduce Vehicle Accidents  Nov 30, 2007
Consumer demand for active safety features is growing and technology is rapidly advancing.

Frost: Safety Needs, Technology Advancements Mold Chassis System Market  Nov 30, 2007
Automakers are looking beyond in-house production, design and development of advanced chassis systems to be in line with customer demands for improved vehicle safety, according to Frost & Sullivan.

ABI: Vehicle Safety Drives Early Deployments of DSRC  Aug 21, 2007
While industry participants continue to fine-tune details of the standard for dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), the major players are keen to start rolling out some product to begin getting real world experience.

ASTM Int'l Vehicle-Pavement Standard Focuses on Skid Resistance - ASTM E 2340  July 2, 2007
Airport operators, military pavement maintenance personnel, transportation regulatory agencies and state highway departments will benefit from the approval of an ASTM standard for measuring skid resistance.

EC Promotes Intelligent Vehicle Safety Systems  Jan 2, 2007
The European Commission (EC) has increased efforts to raise awareness of the benefits of intelligent vehicle safety systems, especially after a recent study found that although European motorists say they attach high importance to safety in choosing a car, they lack an understanding of and appreciation for the cost of these safety benefits.

EC Proposes Action Plan for In-Vehicle Emergency Calls  Dec 12, 2006
The European Commission (EC) recently proposed several actions to prompt the rollout of emergency call (eCall) technology for cars in Europe.

Frost: Vehicle Safety Legislation Boosts Demand for Passive Safety Systems  Oct 2, 2006
Growing customer awareness of the need for enhanced safety, the implementation of legislation, the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) and technological advances are crucial factors fueling the installation of emerging passive safety systems in vehicles.

PReVENT Releases Report on Electronic Safety Zone for Vehicles  July 12, 2006
The Integrated Project (IP) PReVENT released Specifications and architecture for PReVENT safety functions. The report was presented at the Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications (AMAA) 2006 Conference in Berlin.

Frost: Emissions, Safety Concerns Fuel ASEAN3 Automotive Sensors Market  June 6, 2006
The ASEAN3 (Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia) automotive sensors market is likely to grow as governments tighten environmental laws on fuel emissions, and as consumers become more concerned about vehicle safety, according to Frost & Sullivan.

PReVENT Demonstrates Advanced Intersection Safety Applications  June 5, 2006
The Integrated Project PReVENT's INTERSAFE subproject recently demonstrated numerous intersection safety applications at the Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications (AMAA) conference in Berlin.

Frost: New Technology Will Direct Euro Auto Safety Systems Market  June 1, 2006
In trying to achieve technology refinements, cost and reliability are emerging as major challenges for the launch of advanced braking systems in the European market. With respect to stability control systems,

Frost: Japanese Telematics Demand Will Move to Safety Applications in Next Five Years  April 24, 2006
Regarded as the most revolutionary aspect of the automotive industry this past decade, telematics products are enabling drivers to avoid traffic jams, monitor traffic flow and facilitate road and health rescues, as well as transform automobiles into mobile offices and entertainment/information centers.

NHTSA Releases New 2006 Crash Test and Rollover Ratings  March 30, 2006
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released new crash test and/or rollover ratings for 42 model year 2006 vehicles - 16 passenger cars, 17 sport utility vehicles, four vans, and five pickups – and two early release model year 2007 sport utility vehicles.

Frost: Legislation Creates Dramatic Uptake for Pedestrian Safety Systems  March 27, 2006
Despite the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) that introduced pedestrian protection tests, vehicles in Europe remained excessively dangerous for pedestrians, according to analysts at Frost & Sullivan.

ISO Offers Standards on 'Intelligent' Crash Test Dummy for Side Impact Testing  Dec 19, 2005
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released a new suite of standards to provide the automotive industry with an advanced human crash test dummy for improving vehicle design and increasing passenger safety.

Ford Opens Automotive Safety Certification Facility  Aug 19, 2005
Ford Motor Co. unveiled an automotive safety facility in Dearborn, Mich. capable of conducting comprehensive occupant protection crash-simulation tests.

TechnoMetrica: Auto Safety, Entertainment Behind Telematics Appeal  Mar 21, 2005
The appeal of automobiles equipped with telematics is high enough to generate more than $700 million in sales over the next two quarters, if auto manufacturers are nimble enough to capitalize on growing consumer awareness and demand, according to TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence.

UL Canada Publishes Second Edition of Auto Fire Fighting Standard  Dec 16, 2004
TORONTO—Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada published the second edition of the Nation Standard of Canada CAN/ULC-S515-04 - Automobile Fire Fighting Apparatus.

Children's Safety

EC Releases Report on Safety in Toy Supply Chain  Jun 6, 2008
The European Commission (EC) recently released a report by independent experts on toy safety as a follow-up to the EC's product safety stocktaking review last autumn.

FAQ on Safety Measures in Toy Supply Chain  Jun 6, 2008
Answers to frequently asked questions about the toy safety report released by the European Commission (EC) on June 5 are provided below. This report analyzed product safety measures in the toy supply chain.

ANSI Updates New York State Assembly on Hazardous Toys  Dec 11, 2007
Representatives from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) addressed ANSI's involvement in efforts to mitigate toy safety issues during testimony last month before the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection - Subcommittee on Child Product Safety.

ISO: Standard Reduces Risk of Children's Head Injuries - ISO 16850  Nov 14, 2007
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released ISO 16850:2007 - Road vehicles - Pedestrian protection - Child head impact ...

ASTM Int'l Issues Standard for Safety of Children's Folding Chairs - ASTM F 2613  Aug 7, 2007
Responding to incident data presented by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and recent recalls, ASTM International Committee F15 on Consumer ...

ASTM Int'l Develops Infant Bath Tub Safety Standard  Dec 4, 2006
ASTM International Committee F15 on Consumer Products invited manufacturers of infant bath tubs to attend and participate in meetings to continue ...

Consumer Product Safety - General

FAQ on EU-China Product Safety Measures  Jun 6, 2008
Meglena Kuneva, European Commission (EC) commissioner for consumers, will visit the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong on June 9-13, primarily to assess progress on the commitments to strengthen product safety controls between China and the European Union (EU) that were made during her visit in July 2007.

ISO Standard Project Aimed at Facilitating Recall of Unsafe Products   Mar 31, 2008
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) established a project committee (PC) to prepare a standard on product recall.

ANSI Joint Member Forum Examines Consumer Product Safety Concerns  Nov 14, 2007
The Joint Member Forum (JMF) of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) discussed consumer product safety issues at a recent October ...

BSI Participates in China Launch of Consumer Products Standard  May 2, 2007
BSI Management Systems participated in the China launch of the new British Retail Consortium (BRC) global standard - Consumer Products. ...

OSHA Seeks Comments on Product Safety Self-approval Proposal  Dec 9, 2005
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will accept public comments until February 13, 2006 to help it determine the best way ...

Electrical & Electronics Safety

Market Surveillance of Electrical Appliances Improves Safety for European Consumers  May 23, 2008
The European Commission (EC) recently received the final reports from market surveillance projects aimed at enhancing the safety of two types of consumer electrical products: portable household lights and cord extension sets.

AAMI Finalizes Major Update to Electrical Safety Equipment Standard  May 1, 2006
The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) revised and released American National Standard (ANSI)/AAMI ES60601-1:2005 ...

FCC Revises 700 MHz Rules for Public Safety Communications, Wireless Broadband  Aug 6, 2007
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revised the 700 MHz band plan and service rules to promote the creation of a nationwide interoperable ...

IEC Releases Standard for Safety of Electrical Equipment Used in Explosive Atmospheres - IEC 60079-1  Jun 8, 2007
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) developed IEC 60079-1 ed. 6 - Explosive atmospheres - Part 1: Equipment protection by flameproof ...

Recall Spurs Assessment of Battery Safety Standards  Dec 12, 2006
A widespread recall of laptop batteries in 2006 affected nearly 10 million products from five major manufacturers, when it was found that some ...

Fire Safety

Frost: Euro Fire Suppression Systems Market Shows Resilient Growth  May 23, 2008
The European fire suppression systems market continues to expand, with sound underlying drivers ensuring its healthy growth well into the long term.

NIST: Web Site Offers Easy Access to Lifesaving Fire Service Research  Mar 28, 2008
A new National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) web site offers easy access to reports of NIST fire investigations, summaries of research projects and videos of NIST fire research experiments and tests.

NIST Evaluates Firefighting Tactics in High-Rise Test  Mar 28, 2008
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) fire protection engineers turned an abandoned New York City brick high-rise into a seven-story fire laboratory to better understand the fast-moving spread of wind-driven flames, smoke and toxic gases through corridors and stairways of burning buildings.

NIST Building Safety Efforts Mark Fifth Anniversary of Nightclub Fire  Feb 26, 2008
A nightclub fire killing 100 people in Rhode Island five years ago prompted a two-year investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to understand exactly what happened and to make recommendations for change based on those findings.

ICC: Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas Codes Protect Communities  Dec 29, 2008
Public safety benefits as more states and communities adopt the International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes (PMG), according to the International Code Council (ICC).

Building Safety, Fire Prevention Codes to Be Debated at ICC Meeting  Dec 29, 2008
Building safety will be front and center when code officials, architects, engineers and other building industry professionals meet to debate more than 2,200 proposed changes to the International Codes at the 2008 International Code Council (ICC) Codes Forum.

NIST: Elevators May Have High-Rise Fire Evacuation Role  Dec 13, 2008
Experts are reconsidering tall building evacuation strategies and earlier this year, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommended code changes to increase elevator use in high-rise emergencies in the report of its three-year investigation of the Sept. 11, 2001 World Trade Center (WTC) collapses.

ASTM Int'l Proposes Standard to Protect Decks from Fire - ASTM WK17025  Dec 10, 2008
ASTM International Committee E05 on Fire Standards is developing a test protocol for assessing fire performance of decks and other horizontal exterior structures where combustibles beneath the structure can ignite.

ASTM Int'l Approves Standard for Safe Handling of Fire Extinguishing Agents - ASTM D 7327  Oct 18, 2007
Providing users with an assurance of quality and ensuring the safe handling, transport and storage of fire extinguishing agents are the purposes ...

ASTM Int'l Approves Standard for Candle Accessories - ASTM F 2601  Oct 18, 2007
ASTM International published ASTM F 2601 - Specification for Fire Safety for Candle Accessories ...

NIST SRM Aids in Reduced Cigarette Fire Risk  Feb 27, 2006
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1082 for testing laboratories and manufacturers ...

Food Safety

NSF Int'l Creates Food Safety Certification Program for Rhode Island Restaurants  Nov 27, 2007
NSF International partnered with the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) to create a food safety audit and certification program that ...

ISO: Standard Strengthens Food Safety Measures - ISO 7218  Oct 29, 2007
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released ISO 7218:2007 - Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - General requirements ...

ANSI Recognizes NSF Int'l as a Safe Quality Food Certification Body  Apr 7,2006
NSF International (NSF) has been accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to offer Safe Quality Food (SQF) 1000 and 2000 ...

NSF Int'l Offers Food Safety Certification to ISO 22000:2005  Dec 15, 2005
NSF International (NSF) now offers food safety certification to ISO 22000 - Requirements for a Food Safety Management System. The food safety ...

ISO Issues Food Safety Management Guidance   Nov 28, 2005
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published implementation guidance for ISO 22000 - Food safety management systems, in ...

Health, Medical & Sports Safety

ASTM Int'l Releases Pharmaceutical Verification Standard - ASTM E 2537   Apr 3, 2008
ASTM International Committee E55 on Manufacture of Pharmaceutical Products approved ASTM E 2537 - Guide for Application of Continuous Quality Verification to Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing.

OSHA Seeks Comments on VVP Information Collection Procedures  Mar 28, 2008
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is requesting public comment on proposed information collection requirements for the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP).

EC Calls for Improved Safety of Medical Devices  Mar 29, 2007
The European Parliament is expected to adopt a new proposal by the European Commission (EC) that would significantly improve the safety of medical ...

ASTM Int'l Releases Snow Safety Publication - ASTM STP 1464  Dec 18, 2006
ASTM International released ASTM STP 1464 - Skiing Trauma and Safety, 15th volume. ASTM STP 1464 provides the latest information on snow sport ...

EC Takes Action Against U.K. Food Safety Violations  Oct 16, 2006
The European Commission (EC) initiated infringement proceedings against the U.K. government due to its lack of response to identified food safety problems ...

NHS Connecting for Health to Pilot IT Specification for Blood Safety  Sep 22, 2006
NHS Connecting for Health, supported by the National Patient Safety Agency, is looking to work with one or more acute trusts in England to pilot ...