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Button battery regulationPaha_L via Depositphoto

Button battery regulation, Australia

5 minute read There’s three things that mark out button batteries as a critical product safety hazard – the severity of the injuries, the ongoing rate of those injuries and the breadth of exposure to the product. Swallowing a…
Button batteries - Size mattersozaiachin via Photodune

Button battery hazard – Size does matter!

4-minute read A few questions have been raised on the actual danger posed by small and medium button batteries. Some misconceptions have been circulating about: how dangerous they are, how the body responds, andthe type of treatment…
Child injured by button batteriesFamily photo

Button batteries – what can be done? Plenty.

Much more can be done in the immediate term to address the hazard presented by button batteries, as listed below. But let's start with some background. There's no doubt that the button battery hazard is a complex problem. However it…

Product safety panel discussion – Part 1

National Consumer Congress 2019 held in Melbourne, 14 March 2019 This is Part 1 of the product safety panel discussion transcript from the 2019 national consumer congress. The full audio recording is available on podcast. The safety…

Product safety panel discussion – Part 2

National Consumer Congress 2019 held in Melbourne, 14 March 2019 This is Part 2 of the product safety panel discussion transcript from the 2019 national consumer congress. The full audio recording is available on podcast. Moderator…

Product safety panel discussion – Part 3

National Consumer Congress 2019 held in Melbourne, 14 March 2019 This is Part 3 of the product safety panel discussion transcript from the 2019 national consumer congress. The full audio recording is available on podcast. In this…

Product safety panel discussion – Part 4

National Consumer Congress 2019 held in Melbourne, 14 March 2019 This is Part 4 of the product safety panel discussion transcript from the 2019 national consumer congress. The full audio recording is available on podcast. In this…
Button battery gold star

Button batteries – what good businesses are doing

Despite some good efforts, the rate of serious injuries in Australia from kids swallowing button batteries is not going down. Some estimates are at one per month, which is a shocking statistic. In my blog article: Button batteries -…
Button battery products code cover page

Button battery products – new industry code

There has been a lot of publicity about the extreme dangers of button batteries where children have access and swallow them. I think button batteries are the most challenging ever product safety problem. Much work has been done to alert…
Toddler with button battery remotes

Product safety podcast – Button battery interview

Button battery interview Recorded in Brisbane, Queensland on 3 November 2015 following release of the Coroner’s findings on the death of Summer Steer from swallowing a button battery. I have asked 'Are button batteries the most challenging…