PRODUCT SAFETY LETTER View the entire issue in PDF format. (Print-only subscribers must CLICK HERE to log in.)

REEBOK PENALTY IS CPSC RECORD AT $1 MILLION Reebok will pay a CPSC record $1 million to settle the agency’s allegations that it violated the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) by importing and distributing a bracelet involved in the death of a 4-year-old Minneapolis boy.

CPSC STAFF INTERPRET NEW POOL/SPA SAFETY LAW Pools and spas could comply with a recent drain-safety law by having drains that are 18 inches by 23 inches, long channels that cannot be blocked by a body, outlet grates with diagonal measurements of 29 inches, or circulation designs that avoid fully submerged suction outlets.

NORD CONTINUES PUBLIC APPEARANCES IN MINNEAPOLIS CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord’s March 18 continued a series of appearances to promote CPSC issues with a meeting at the Minneapolis Mall of America.

AGENCIES NEED TO BETTER ASSESS IP ENFORCEMENT, SAYS GAO While intellectual-property (IP) enforcement in general is not a high priority at five agencies tasked with that job, IP crimes involving health and safety risks are a high priority, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report made available March 18.

F15 MAGNET ANIMATION DEMONSTRATES RISK TO CHILDREN ASTM’s F15 consumer product committee has placed a case-study animation of a magnet ingestion on its webpage.

KUNEVA CALLS FOR MORE WORK WITH U.S. AND CHINA EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva March 14 called for further product safety cooperation with the U.S. and China.

AUSTRALIANS SEEK MORE PLASTICS/CHEMICALS EVALUATION The Australian Productivity Commission March 19 urged the creation of a national panel to assess the safety of plastics and chemicals used in consumer products.

ACCC SETTLES WITH THREE COMPANIES The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) recently reached product safety settlements with three companies.

COOKING INVOLVED IN OVER A THIRD OF HOUSE FIRES About 38% of home structure fires from 2002 to 2005 involved cooking equipment, according to a March 18 report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

CPSC BRIEFS Briefs on light fixtures, toasters, rug warmers, stationery, magnetic toys (3 briefs), puzzles, kinder eggs, CPSC meetings.

CONGRESSIONAL BRIEF Brief on recall effectiveness.

OTHER FEDERAL BRIEFS Briefs on booster seats, FDA, portable generators, personal care products.

STANDARDS & TESTING BRIEFS Briefs on playground surfacing, booster seats, panel boards, cord reels, refrigerators/freezers, communication equipment, baseboard heating, wall/ceiling heaters, room heaters, wires/cables/cords, power source, air handling spaces, sprinklers (2 briefs).

FOREIGN & INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Briefs on kettles, cribs, dishwashers, candle holders, switches, baby slings, RAPEX.

STATE ACTIVITY BRIEFS Briefs on toys, recalls, poison.