Product safety challenges

Paradigm shift needed for product safety in Australia

Last year I attended one of the rare product safety seminars held in Australia. At that event, participants were tasked with identifying ways product safety practitioners can work effectively in a competitive commercial environment. Contrary…
Product safety training

Product safety training

Staff working in consumer product safety have to apply complex technical standards to a vast range of products – toys, nursery products, cookware, car jacks, electrical appliances and so on. They need to understand and work with legislative…
Thermomix Court case

Disregard for consumer safety and the law

Record fines for breaching the product safety laws have been ordered in the Federal Court. Findings showed Thermomix's clear disregard for consumer safety and the law. Well done to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for taking…
Product safety policy

ACCC on product safety – policy and priorities

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has raised the profile of product safety over the past month. Following its work on the massive compulsory recall of Takata airbags, the ACCC has taken some key steps to promote the cause…
Electric kettle safety

Is your electric kettle safe? A lesson for all product suppliers

We all want to feel assured our kettles will hold themselves together when we're making a nice cup of tea. A handle coming away from a kettle full of scalding hot water is an obvious hazard - scald injuries can be very serious. There…
IoT product safety

Product safety in the Internet of Things

The 'Internet of Things'. Yes, it's a strange term. 'Internet' - yes. 'Things' - yes. But together? The 'Internet of Things' is the term that's being used for all the interconnected devices appearing on the market.  An increasing number…
Gail Greatorex 30 years in product safety

30 years in product safety

October 2017 marks 30 years that I have worked in consumer product safety.  I enjoyed 25 years in government consumer agencies and I now run my own product safety advocacy and consultancy business. Much has changed in that time. My…
Product recall costs

Product recall costs revealed

Patties' frozen berry case in the courts This case provides a good insight into the costs associated with product recalls. In 2015, Australian leading frozen food supplier, Patties was forced to recall Nanna’s and Creative…

Suppliers – choose packaging with product safety in mind

We’ve all seen courier vans buzzing around our streets delivering goods that have been purchased online. Are the couriers careful with the boxes? Are the goods in sound condition when they arrive? I recently read an article in Melbourne’s…
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Podcast interview – David Schwebel

In this podcast Gail Greatorex talks with David Schwebel, Professor of Psychology, and Associate Dean for Research in the Sciences at University of Alabama, Birmingham. David talks about a series of tragic toddler deaths and how his research…