Product Safety Archives - Page 12 of 20 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

3 May , 2018

Product Safety: A global picture

Consumers International has released a new report: The challenge of protecting consumers from unsafe products: A global picture. The report, based on a survey of 132 organisations in 100 countries, found that national product safety legislation is struggling to adapt to the unprecedented challenges created by technological advances and the transformative nature of international supply chains…

3 May , 2018

Rapid recall: getting unsafe products off the market quickly

The following blog post is reproduced from Consumers International. Product recalls are an important way to remove unsafe products from the marketplace and prevent injury and death. This year the OECD and the International Standards Organisation will be looking at how recalls can be delivered more effectively to ensure consumers are better protected. The right…

24 March , 2018

ACCC moves to improve quad bike safety

The ACCC has proposed major changes to improve the safety of quad bikes, including the introduction of a safety rating system, crush protection devices and mandatory minimum performance standards. Tragically, quad bike accidents result in an average of 16 deaths in Australia each year. They also result in approximately six people per day attending a…

9 March , 2018

The Reject Shop ordered to pay $155,000 over unsafe projectile toys

National variety goods retailer The Reject Shop Ltd has been penalised $140,000 after admitting that it contravened the product safety provisions of the Australian Consumer Law (Victoria) by selling projectile toys that did not meet the relevant Australian Safety Standard. The Reject Shop operates more than 330 stores across Australia. Consumer Affairs Victoria took action…

2 March , 2018

CHOICE welcomes action on deadly airbags

Consumer group CHOICE says car companies’ ongoing failure to protect the public from unsafe airbags reaffirms the need to tighten Australian Consumer Law. CHOICE has welcomed the compulsory recall of millions of potentially lethal Takata airbags, and is calling on the Federal Government to beef up Australian Consumer Law to make it explicitly clear that…

25 February , 2018

The second-hand market gets a new ISO standard to protect consumers

The second-hand economy is booming with more and more consumers buying used goods. How can we be sure that the second-hand baby crib we buy won’t cause injury or harm? Purchasing used products can bring its share of bad surprises, but a new International Standard helps make sure those hand-me-down treasures are not putting your…

19 February , 2018

Safety concerns for children at trampoline parks

At least 500 children have ended up in hospital emergency departments in Australia between 2012 and 2017 due to injuries at indoor trampoline parks. The number of trampoline parks has soared past 80 in the past six years, but with lawsuits, catastrophic spinal injuries and even deaths overseas clouding the industry’s future, experts are urgently…

27 October , 2017

Quad Bike Safety Taskforce

The following is a joint media release from the Commonwealth Small Business Minister Michael McCormack and Commonwealth Employment Minister Michaelia Cash. A Taskforce led by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will conduct an investigation into quad bike safety under plans announced today by the Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash and Minister for Small Business…

28 July , 2017

Product Safety Reform and the ACL Review – Blog Post

The following is a blog post by Luke Nottage and Catherine Niven. The original post can be accessed here. In 2008, as consumer confidence in Australia took a big hit from the Global Financial Crisis, the Productivity Commission published a report advising the federal Treasurer to lead a belated “re-harmonisation” of consumer protection law. The State and…

14 July , 2017

CAV to Take Daiso to Court over Product Safety Breaches

Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) has begun civil proceedings against Origo & Co Pty Ltd (ACN: 140 019 656) – previously Daiso (Australia) Pty Ltd – in the Federal Court of Australia, for alleged contraventions of product safety provisions and other protections under the Australian Consumer Law. CAV will allege that between 2011 and 2016, the…

23 June , 2017

Tips for Winter Product Safety

Winter is here and Consumers’ Federation of Australia representatives have contributed to standards that ensure the safety of products we use in winter. The standards are developed via the Standards Australia Technical Committee process. ACCC Top tips for winter product safety are: Never use boiling water to fill your hot water bottle and replace it…

8 February , 2017

Products safety handbook protects consumers

All businesses who supply products to Australian consumers must comply with Australian product safety laws as outlined by ACCC Product Safety. Consumers Federation of Australia representative Gail Greatorex is a member of the Standards Australia Technical Committee which completed a review of four key parts of the product safety framework set of documents. One of…