Start your morning off with a walk around the Hyatt property led by Member Jane McGarry. Bring your own water bottles and prepare for the busy day ahead!
The objective of this session is to explore and discuss the pivotal role of leadership in fostering a culture of compliance within organizations. By highlighting best practices, sharing real-world case studies, and providing actionable strategies, this session aims to equip leaders with the knowledge and tools necessary to enhance consumer product safety and regulatory adherence.
Effective compliance in consumer product safety is not merely about adhering to regulations but about creating a culture where safety and ethical standards are ingrained in every facet of the organization. Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping this culture. This session will delve into how leaders can drive compliance from the top down, address challenges, and leverage best practices to achieve and maintain high standards in product safety.
There are numerous policy issues in relation to ESG and product safety, with the recent introduction of EU rules regulating packaging, including in relation to tethered caps on single use plastic drinks containers and also, manufacturing processes used in the manufacture of consumer products. The EU Packaging Directive stipulates among other requirements that, by the end of 2024, EU Member States should ensure that producer responsibility schemes are established for all packaging. The EU Packaging Directive also sets specific targets for recycling, the EU Batteries Regulation ensures that batteries placed on the EU market are sustainable and circular throughout their whole life cycle and the EU Regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH) was recently amended to restrict the intentional use of microplastics in consumer products. This amendment is designed to enhance transparency in relation to potentially harmful chemicals / substances contained in consumer products.
Reparability, sustainability, durability have become key words in the products world. Authorities, NGOs and consumers want to have products' lifespan extended in an easy and cheap way, even when products present high technology. Consumers do not necessarily want to go to the manufacturer to get spare parts, want to choose where to repair their products and how, even when it relates to safety-related components. Once there is an issue, the brand manufacturer is however always the one whose liability is sought. But when is a product not anymore the initial product? When is the manufacturer not the manufacturer anymore? How far should manufacturers anticipate changes that can be done to their products?
Attendees will learn about newly available functional children's strength data gathered by University of Michigan through a project funded by CPSC. A diverse panel of representatives from the research study team, product standards and regulatory bodies, consulting, and industry will present the study methods and results, discuss how the research is aimed to be used for standards development, and how child strength data is used in product design or safety assessments. Minimal information on strength is available for children under age 6 years. To address this gap, 580 children ages 2 through 11 years participated in this study. Exertion tasks included standing pushing and pulling with one and two hands, seated pushes and pulls with one and two hands, seated pushing with both feet, and other hand strength measures. Interface forces were measured for an additional 170 children ages 6 to 23 months who interacted with toy-like objects.
This outcomes focused session will explore the opportunities for all types of stakeholders to participate and provide feedback at different stages of policy and law making in the EU, US and UK, and in the development of standards. The panel will explore the benefits of engaging, whether stakeholders really can make a difference and discuss ways to make engagement more effective.
Reparability, sustainability, durability have become key words in the products world. Authorities, NGOs and consumers want to have products' lifespan extended in an easy and cheap way, even when products present high technology. Consumers do not necessarily want to go to the manufacturer to get spare parts, want to choose where to repair their products and how, even when it relates to safety-related components. Once there is an issue, the brand manufacturer is however always the one whose liability is sought. But when is a product not anymore the initial product? When is the manufacturer not the manufacturer anymore? How far should manufacturers anticipate changes that can be done to their products?
Attendees will learn about newly available functional children's strength data gathered by University of Michigan through a project funded by CPSC. A diverse panel of representatives from the research study team, product standards and regulatory bodies, consulting, and industry will present the study methods and results, discuss how the research is aimed to be used for standards development, and how child strength data is used in product design or safety assessments. Minimal information on strength is available for children under age 6 years. To address this gap, 580 children ages 2 through 11 years participated in this study. Exertion tasks included standing pushing and pulling with one and two hands, seated pushes and pulls with one and two hands, seated pushing with both feet, and other hand strength measures. Interface forces were measured for an additional 170 children ages 6 to 23 months who interacted with toy-like objects.
This outcomes focused session will explore the opportunities for all types of stakeholders to participate and provide feedback at different stages of policy and law making in the EU, US and UK, and in the development of standards. The panel will explore the benefits of engaging, whether stakeholders really can make a difference and discuss ways to make engagement more effective.
There are numerous policy issues in relation to ESG and product safety, with the recent introduction of EU rules regulating packaging, including in relation to tethered caps on single use plastic drinks containers and also, manufacturing processes used in the manufacture of consumer products. The EU Packaging Directive stipulates among other requirements that, by the end of 2024, EU Member States should ensure that producer responsibility schemes are established for all packaging. The EU Packaging Directive also sets specific targets for recycling, the EU Batteries Regulation ensures that batteries placed on the EU market are sustainable and circular throughout their whole life cycle and the EU Regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH) was recently amended to restrict the intentional use of microplastics in consumer products. This amendment is designed to enhance transparency in relation to potentially harmful chemicals / substances contained in consumer products.
The presentation will explore the complexities of consumer reporting standards and recall procedures for across the globe (United States, Canada, Europe, UK and Australia). Through a dynamic simulated crisis scenario, we will explore the intricacies of managing a product recall that spans multiple jurisdictions, highlighting the challenges and best practices for ensuring compliance and maintaining consumer trust. This session delves into legal obligations, notification requirements, communication strategies, and operational considerations essential for effectively handling recalls in diverse regulatory environments. Attendees will gain valuable insights into coordinating cross-border responses, understanding the nuances of varying regulatory requirements, and mitigating risks associated with international product distribution.
In today’s fast-paced world, understanding trends in consumer complaint data is essential for proactively addressing potential safety concerns. Effective data analysis, enhanced by AI-driven techniques such as natural language processing (NLP), enables quick identification of issues and the implementation of corrective actions. Thanks to advanced data visualization tools like AWS QuickSight, Power BI, and Tableau, handling and interpreting complex datasets is now more straightforward than ever. This session will demonstrate how these tools, combined with AI processing, can consolidate disparate data sources into a single, cohesive platform, enabling the creation of meaningful metrics and trend visualizations that drive informed decision-making and enhance product safety.
Consumer tech has been in the regulator's spotlight over recent years, with a significant amount of legislation being redrafted or created in order to manage some of the perceived threats and challenges in this area. Join us for a fact packed, insightful and fast paced discussion looking at some of the most recent landmark legislation which we consider will have (or has had) the biggest gamechanger in terms of the consumer tech product safety landscape - and help us decide which piece of legislation will have the biggest impact.
Despite only applying to products sold in California, the testing and labeling requirements of Proposition 65 impact consumer products sold world-wide. This session will be aimed at providing helpful information to individuals new to Prop65 as well to those who deal with it on a regular basis. We will review the chemicals that are commonly named in suits across different product categories, discuss ways to prioritize your product portfolio for evaluation, and consider the limitations of limited chemical testing and use of settlement values adopted for different products. We will also provide an update on new developments such as the increasing number of lawsuits involving PFAS and the proposed plans to alter the nature of the short form warning that is currently used by many companies.
Join ICPHSO’s DEI Committee for a roundtable discussions\ on accessibility in product safety. This session will explore the integration of accessibility principles into product safety standards, ensuring that products are safe to use for all individuals, including those with disabilities. Millions of consumer products are used by individuals with unique abilities and needs each day. The roundtable discussion will focus on identifying barriers to implementing accessibility in product safety and best practices to enhance accessibility in product safety and promote inclusive and safe product designs. This session will foster continued collaboration and commitment to accessibility, driving innovation and improving overall product safety standards.
Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of consumer products are being impacted by laws regulating the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) in their products. This area is rapidly developing as states create new laws or amend existing ones, and the penalties and litigation risks for non-compliance can be significant. With 13 states having enacted PFAS consumer product laws, and another 10 states having proposed PFAS consumer product laws, the patchwork of state compliance obligations is growing. This panel will provide practical tips on adapting product safety compliance programs to meet evolving PFAS regulatory requirements. Importantly, the panel will tackle the Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”) Section 8(a)(7), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reporting obligations for PFAS, discuss what evidence that reporting is creating for regulators, and how the Consumer Product Safety Commission might be able to use the information to begin regulating PFAS in products.
When leading physicians presented evidence regarding the prevalence and severity of injuries associated with removing hot food from microwaves, it was clear to relevant stakeholders that they needed to work together to address this challenge. Armed with the information from that data analysis, manufacturers, regulators, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders created a UL task force to revise the standard This is one of many examples of standard improvements based on strong data and through collaboration. Stakeholders hoping to address hazards will improve decision-making abilities, reduce risk, and increase efficiency by providing quality data. Most importantly, all parties must be willing to listen to the data, and each other, to collaborate on a solution. Those who were at the table will share lessons learned from their work to improve the microwave oven standard and provide advice on how stakeholders can work together to advance product safety.
Understanding the upcoming CPSC eFiling regulation is critical for when the requirement becomes mandatory. We will look at what is driving the CPSC's push for this transfer to digital filing of certificates and the impact on compliance, discuss the regulatory requirements and changes that have been implemented since last year along with upcoming compliance dates. By attending this session, participants will gain valuable insights into practical strategies and best practices in order to help navigate a successful launch of eFiling. We will also discuss how the voluntary period can help in preparation for the upcoming mandatory effective dates that are TBD.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in product safety has the potential to revolutionize the way we extract and analyze learnings from publicly available databases. This panel proposal aims to explore the application of AI in enhancing product safety learnings by extracting insights from resources such as CPSC's NEISS, Clearinghouse, OECD recalls, CPSC recalls, and other product safety data repositories.
The panel will comprise of distinguished product safety stakeholders from industry, standards organizations, and regulatory bodies, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise.
Through interactive discussions, the panelists will delve into the challenges, opportunities, and best practices associated with integrating AI in product safety learnings. By fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing, this panel aims to provide actionable insights and recommendations for organizations, including regulators, seeking to harness the power of AI in improving product safety learnings.
As globalization has made it increasingly easy to sell products around the world, manufacturers often choose to limit where they sell because they simply can’t afford compliance with a patchwork of regulations that are similar, but not identical. This panel consisting of a manufacturer, a retailer, a lab, and a consumer advocate will discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of regulatory harmonization and even potential cross border recognition.
