Posts

Regulation commencement date
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Regulation commencement dates

  “The regulation takes effect on 1 January.”   “So, who will be at work to implement this? Or to enforce it?” and “What work is needed during December to gear up for implementation?”     1…
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…
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…
Illegal to sell recalled products

Is a recaller breaching the law if they continue to supply their product?

Last week I wrote about the current Australian Consumer Law (ACL) not prohibiting products being sold once they are subject to a recall. I did this with other suppliers in mind – retailers, distributors, etc It was only when discussing…
Product safety recall

Should it be illegal to sell products that are listed recalls?

It is not currently illegal in Australia to knowingly sell unsafe goods. I wrote about this last year in my blog article An Australian General Safety Provision and argued justification for adding a general safety provision to the Australian…
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…
3D printer warning
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3D printing product safety laws

  The advent of desktop and other smaller scale 3D printers has seen a growing global market. The market, which consists of 3D printers, 3D printing materials, 3D printing services and 3D printing software, reached US$4.98 billion…
General safety provision

An Australian general safety provision?

The Australian Consumer Law contains no express prohibition from selling unsafe products, including from knowingly doing so. I believe it is important to examine the need for a general safety provision to remedy this situation. A…
children's nightwear standard

Revised New Zealand children's nightwear regulations

Australia:NZ disparity on children's nightwear - Compliance ‘chaos’ New Zealand has moved on children’s nightwear regulations – leaving Australia behind. Any business that supplies children’s nightwear in both Australia and New…
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…