Product Safety

A gold watch on a table with button batteries scattered around the watch A gold watch on a table with button batteries scattered around the watch

Consumer household products with button batteries, including children’s toys, should have secure battery safety compartments, child resistant packaging and clear information and warning labels, under proposed new mandatory standards put forward by the ACCC for consultation. Button battery safety is a key part of the ACCC’s Product Safety Priorities for 2020, which show how the ACCC will…

Read More Product safety priorities focus on button battery safety

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ACCC Chair Rod Sims announced the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement priorities for 2020 in a speech to the annual Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA). These priorities provide focus to the ACCC’s enforcement and advocacy work, as well as develop solutions to deliver benefits for all consumers. The 2020 priorities include: Competition and consumer issues in the…

Read More ACCC releases its compliance and enforcement priorities for 2020

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CHOICE is calling on the government to introduce tighter product safety laws, following an alarming number of infant deaths linked to inclined sleepers in the US. CHOICE experts say that based on research conducted in the US, inclined sleepers are so dangerous for young babies that they should be completely avoided. Two inclined sleeping products…

Read More Inclined sleepers: A tragedy waiting to happen in our homes

The dashboard of a car; the airbags have deployed and are deflated The dashboard of a car; the airbags have deployed and are deflated

About 3.56 million defective Takata airbags have now been replaced as part of the compulsory recall, but more than seven percent remain outstanding and the ACCC is urging consumers not to ignore or delay responding to recall notices.    Figures released on Friday show about 3.56 million airbags in 2.59 million vehicles were rectified as at…

Read More More than 250,000 vehicles with defective Takata airbags remaining for replacement

A view of the steering wheel of a car from behind the driver A view of the steering wheel of a car from behind the driver

ACCC Media Release 3/20: Honda and Mitsubishi have commenced voluntary recalls for vehicles manufactured between 1996 and 2000 due to a serious safety concern relating to faulty airbags. These vehicles may have been fitted with potentially deadly Takata NADI 5-AT airbags. There is a risk these airbags may misdeploy in an accident and cause metal…

Read More Honda and Mitsubishi recall 42,000 cars due to serious airbag safety risk

The dashboard of a car, both of the front airbags have deployed The dashboard of a car, both of the front airbags have deployed

The ACCC is warning Australian consumers about a new safety risk in using certain vehicles fitted with a different type of faulty Takata airbag. These airbags, which are fitted with a NADI 5-AT propellant, are not captured under the existing compulsory recall of Takata airbags.  There is a serious safety risk that these NADI airbags…

Read More Consumers warned of new airbag safety risk

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This is a guest post by Product Safety Solutions. In a first for product safety, a new documentary exposes the story of how everyday household products can present unacceptable hazards. Episode 3 of the new US Netflix ‘docuseries’, Broken, titled Deadly Dressers, examines furniture tip-overs that have killed and injured young children. It chronicles how changes to…

Read More Netflix documentary shows how cheap furnture is killing children

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Consumer regulators have today released a report on their collaborative efforts in administering the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) over the last twelve months. The report shines a light on some of the key policy, education and enforcement activities undertaken by the members of Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) during the 2018-19 financial year,…

Read More Australian Consumer Law collaboration benefits consumers

A blow-up swimming ring in a pool A blow-up swimming ring in a pool

Being around water is part of everyday Australian life, however drowning is one of the major causes of unintentional death for Australian children. In 2017/18, 18 Australian children aged 0-4 years drowned. The majority of these incidents occurred in backyard swimming pools. Pool and spa barriers can be effective in reducing the risk of drowning…

Read More Standard on safety barriers for swimming pools is open for public comment

Two cords plugged into a wall socket Two cords plugged into a wall socket

There are thousands of products available in Australia, with each being produced by multiple brands. To ensure that these products work safely, the Australian product safety system relies on the cooperation of consumers, suppliers, and government agencies. More information here. The Commonwealth Treasury is undertaking a consultation on Improving the Effectiveness of the Consumer Product Safety System by…

Read More Seeking views from consumers on their experiences relating to product safety