An interactive panel of diverse experts will discuss the topic of "liability" through the various stages of a product, including 1. design, 2. engineering, 3. manufacturing, 4. marketing, 5 distribution and beyond all while aiming to touch on key points related to human factors, legal counsel, consumer perception, warnings, labeling, user guides, intended use, global market access, manufacturing controls, and documentation. This session will be a comprehensive guide to all things liability.

Geared to newer ICPHSO attendees learning the product safety world, this session will aim to highlight and provide practical information ("key things you need to understand") on ten to twelve “hot” topics. Examples include the following: On the chemicals-management side, state-level regulations on chemical content disclosure and potential health and safety implications on the widespread application of perfluorinated compounds (PFOS, PFOA) across different product sectors is rapidly growing. The issue of residual antimony in polyester and other fabrics will likely become a concern under certain children's products regulations (e.g., Oregon). The increasing availability of low cost 3D printers has the potential to introduce a number of chemical and physical hazards (e.g., high heat) into the home environment and to novel users. In one of the fastest growing areas, cannabis derived ingredients (e.g., CBD) are being incorporated into an ever expanding array of products, yet evidence effectiveness and safety is lacking. In the area of physical and mechanical hazards, a number of new product designs (e.g., inflatable bike helmets) and regulatory initiatives (e.g. the proposed STURDY act on furniture stability, proposed requirements for inclined sleep products to crib bumper rules on certain children's products) may also bring changes to the consumer product marketplace. Finally, more manufactures and retailers are entering the medical device space as consumers choose to age in place but FDA regulations for different classes of medical devices are quite different from typical consumer product testing and reporting requirements.

Recent statistics show that as of the first quarter of 2019, android users were able to choose from between 2.1million apps while Apple users could choose from almost 1.8 million. Although apps have now been around for a number of years and their existence isn't that "new", what is now becoming increasingly common is the decision of consumer product manufacturers, particularly of domestic products, to release an accompanying app for their product.

With such an uptake in manufacturers deciding to release an accompanying app or a "companion app", there are significant issues and concerns in relation to an app's impact on the overall safety and risk profile of the physical product it is accompanying. It also raises all sorts of regulatory issues and legal questions in relation to the status of the app and whether that is, in itself, a consumer product too.This session will take a global look at these and other safety related issues pertaining to consumer product apps.

Increasing demands for virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality products (collectively “VR products”) in educational settings frequented by or intended for children have heightened the need for manufacturers to understand the potential health and safety implications (if any) associated with such uses. In an environment shaped by musings in media outlets about the potential adverse effects of VR use—as well as speculation in the scientific community that adverse effects associated with flight simulator use can be extrapolated to VR technology—Facebook Technologies, Google, HTC, Samsung, Sony, and other members of the XRA (formerly: the Global Virtual Reality Association) undertook an initial balanced examination of the scientific, legal, and policy implications of VR use by children. The purpose of this examination was not to “prove” the safety of VR products for children, but to take responsible action in response to a dearth of scientific data and to inspire others to follow in the same vein.

State legislative activity continues to expand and evolve, pushing manufacturers to provide transparency about chemicals used in products and to impose bans or limits on certain chemicals. The motivation for local action is often prompted by an incident, environmental change or lack of federal guidance. For this reason, state regulations are typically reflexive and enacted quickly. Some laws identify responsible entities and others include all players. Furthermore, one state’s definition of a manufacturer or another entity may differ from others. The confusion of state chemical requirements is further compounded by federal and local regulatory overlap. Product safety professionals are often left to decipher state laws and ensure compliance for their companies. Even more state-level activity is likely in 2020 and beyond and new information is making it clear that companies who have concluded that chemical legislation is largely a children’s product phenomenon should reconsider how these laws will affect them.

Geared to newer ICPHSO attendees learning the product safety world, this session will aim to highlight and provide practical information ("key things you need to understand") on ten to twelve “hot” topics. Examples include the following: On the chemicals-management side, state-level regulations on chemical content disclosure and potential health and safety implications on the widespread application of perfluorinated compounds (PFOS, PFOA) across different product sectors is rapidly growing. The issue of residual antimony in polyester and other fabrics will likely become a concern under certain children's products regulations (e.g., Oregon). The increasing availability of low cost 3D printers has the potential to introduce a number of chemical and physical hazards (e.g., high heat) into the home environment and to novel users. In one of the fastest growing areas, cannabis derived ingredients (e.g., CBD) are being incorporated into an ever expanding array of products, yet evidence effectiveness and safety is lacking. In the area of physical and mechanical hazards, a number of new product designs (e.g., inflatable bike helmets) and regulatory initiatives (e.g. the proposed STURDY act on furniture stability, proposed requirements for inclined sleep products to crib bumper rules on certain children's products) may also bring changes to the consumer product marketplace. Finally, more manufactures and retailers are entering the medical device space as consumers choose to age in place but FDA regulations for different classes of medical devices are quite different from typical consumer product testing and reporting requirements.

Artificial Intelligence is being integrated into many aspects of daily life, including consumer products. There are also many concerns about the fairness, transparency and safety of AI algorithms being expressed by consumers, researchers and governments. Academics, non-profits and governments are publishing frameworks and guidelines to help ensure beneficial adoption of AI and to reduce unintended side effects. This session will explore these frameworks and how to translate these guidelines into practical actions that are useful in the design, testing and deployment of AI in consumer products.

Increasing public access to chemical and product safety information has coincided with recent trends towards sustainability in product design, marketing, and even regulation. For example, product development teams are reviewing safety information on candidate materials early in the design stage, driving selection of lower risk material components and giving increased confidence in final product safety. Communicating complicated hazard and risk information to consumers in a transparent manner is also proving challenging. Consumer perception of product safety may be greatly influenced by hot button claims such as "natural" or "synthetic,", and other hazard vs. risk-based claims. Using case studies, we will investigate misconceptions in product safety and how to maintain an open and transparent dialogue with consumers about product safety.

The climate of traditional markets is changing – there’s the on-going trade war between China and the US, other threats of tariffs, Brexit markets that seemed known and certain are changing. These concerns are driving companies to consider casting their sourcing net into less traditional markets such as Africa, South America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, which present challenges but also rewards once you get a grip on their regulatory approach to product safety. Taking a holistic approach, this session looks not only at product safety regulations but also the nuances of individual country approaches to product safety, their enforcement, real-life challenges and solutions to help you grow your business with these markets.

State legislative activity continues to expand and evolve, pushing manufacturers to provide transparency about chemicals used in products and to impose bans or limits on certain chemicals. The motivation for local action is often prompted by an incident, environmental change or lack of federal guidance. For this reason, state regulations are typically reflexive and enacted quickly. Some laws identify responsible entities and others include all players. Furthermore, one state’s definition of a manufacturer or another entity may differ from others. The confusion of state chemical requirements is further compounded by federal and local regulatory overlap. Product safety professionals are often left to decipher state laws and ensure compliance for their companies. Even more state-level activity is likely in 2020 and beyond and new information is making it clear that companies who have concluded that chemical legislation is largely a children’s product phenomenon should reconsider how these laws will affect them.

The use of Internet of Things (IoT) enabled devices is rapidly evolving and includes mobile devices, wearables, smartphones or computers, and also a wide number of sensors, connected cars, connected machines, and smart home products. With the growth of such devices and systems, concerns regarding cyber security and risk to consumer safety have been raised. Additional questions as to the appropriateness of regulation, standardization, and conformity assessment are actively being discussed within industry and government agencies. Regulations exist to protect consumer safety, but are their gaps that need to be addressed? We hope today to explore the issues related to IoT devices and benefits and weaknesses of certain mitigation strategies.

When it comes to improving diversity and inclusion in product safety, we need more allies: people taking action to support others in the interests of inclusion and diversity. This session would look at great examples of allies in organisations which attend ICPHSO events, i.e. those that champion others in the interests of inclusion and diversity and for the benefit of product safety, and also look at how we can all embody ally style principles to make ICPHSO and the wider world of product safety more representative of the wider world we live in. The session will aim to help people understand what it means to be an ally, to demystify it and to learn some really simple and effective ways to act as an ally and also better understand the benefits that it brings, including to product safety.

Timed almost one year after the CPSC’s data breach was first made public, this session is intended to provide a clear overview of the data breach (unauthorized disclosure) and explore the policy and real world ramifications that the event has set in motion. The session would first set the stage by exploring what happened, including a brief overview of the Inspector General’s findings (if the report is available). Please note, this is not intended to place blame and will not be presented as such. The speakers, led by questions posed by the moderator, would move into the policy issues raised by the data breach, including what will likely be a lively discussion of vastly different viewpoints of Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act and transparency of product safety information to consumers generally in today’s data driven world. The 6(b) discussion would be an exchange among the speakers that would cover the statute’s history, utility, differences with other federal agencies, etc. For example, NHTSA is capable of functioning without an analog of 6(b) - why is 6(b) necessary for the CPSC? The speakers would also share viewpoints regarding federal legislation to eliminate or amend Section 6(b) that is likely to be pending at the time of the conference. The session will not merely be a policy debate about information disclosure, though. There will also be time set aside to discuss the fallout associated with the agency’s release of incident data for over 11,000 companies and best practices for how companies should manage such information being publicly disclosed, including lessons from other industry sectors where such information is commonly disclosed to the public. While some of the content covered at the St. Louis regional conference would be included, there will be new information to discuss and repetition of content will be minimized (although feedback is welcome - at the annual meeting more introduction to 6(b) could be welcome, for example, for first time participants, although returning attendees would likely find such material repetitive and unnecessary). Time will be devoted at the end of the session for questions from the audience submitted through the app but the moderator will also strive to interject audience questions during the discussion to keep the session lively and engaging for the audience.

By including consumers at the earliest stages when designing a consumer product, different perspectives may be provided that can help alleviate concerns later when the product has been distributed. This panel will explore how parents/consumers look at product safety when shopping for items in their home, and how their awareness and perspective changes when the unthinkable happened. Collaboration between parent advocates, industry, retailer, government regulators and lawmakers can contribute to the improvement of product quality and safety.

Consumer participation in the development of voluntary consensus standards is essential to ensure standards reflect the consumer perspective. This session will highlight the impact of voluntary consensus standards on consumer products, what standards development organizations can do to engage consumers, and how consumers have impacted specific consumer product standards.

Voluntary consensus standards impact nearly every consumer product, yet consumers have long been underrepresented in the development of these standards. The American National Standards Institute’s Essential Requirements (requirements that govern the processes by which standards developers are accredited by ANSI and American National Standards are developed) call for balance and consensus; best achieved when consumers have a seat at the table.

ANSI staff will moderate the discussion and detail ANSI’s commitment to consumer participation in the voluntary consensus standards process. Representatives from a standards development organization and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will discuss their roles in the development of consumer product standards, how these standards can lead to CPSC regulations and standards that have been impacted by consumer participation. A consumer advocate will discuss emerging areas where consumer participation in the voluntary consensus standards process is vital and discuss ways to effectively engage consumers. The panel will also brainstorm ways to improve consumer engagement and how to conduct more meaningful outreach. The moderator will engage audience members in a brainstorming session – seeking additional feedback on engagement and outreach, utilizing the conference mobile application.

Come play Safety Jeopardy with your fellow attendees and three teams with a celebrity host. The teams will include consumer representatives and industry members. Questions and answers will be used to help symposium attendees understand product safety best practices, emerging issues, and regulatory requirements in a fun, entertaining and educational setting.

This panel of Human Factors experts will discuss consumers and their interaction with smart products. Included in the discussion will be research done by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on the use of smart home devices and will include specific recommendations that came out of the research.

Further discussion will include consumer interactions with smart products and new technology and how best to prepare and instruct consumers on these products successful use.

Finally, the panel will include a review and discussion on case studies that have occurred with smart products. Incident data and risks reported to CPSC pertaining to a smart product as well as the actual potential risks presented by the product.

There's no question that times have changed in the almost 50 years since Section 15 of the Consumer Product Safety Act was written. Section 15, the defining authority for companies to report potential defects that can result in a Corrective Action Plan, is the subject of current legislative proposals for significant changes to how Corrective Action Plans, including recalls, are administered.

But are CPSC's procedures for Section 15 out of date and in need of change to “get with the times”? Or are the proposals trying to fix things that "ain’t broke"? This panel of former CPSC Compliance staff will offer their unique perspectives on the internal and external workings of the Office of Compliance and how industry and others can respond.

Manufacturers, old and new, are dealing with many issues when trying to get products to market. Performance and safety requirements have been in existence for many years, but the materials being used in your products, recyclability and end-of-life concerns have become important, especially for electrical and electronic products.

From design to production, everyone who is involved with the manufacturing process needs to ensure that all requirements are being met before the first product leaves the dock. Engineering needs to design products which conform to all applicable standards. Purchasing needs to procure materials which are compliant with requirements and also meet engineering specifications. Production needs to ensure that nothing ‘bad’ is added during the manufacturing process. In this continually changing marketplace, knowing what’s in your product is just as important as knowing that your product works safely. Products are required to meet relevant material restrictions and environmental regulations, such as RoHS, REACH and California Proposition 65. This entails good supply chain management and production control management in order to not only supply ‘green’ products but provide processes which may reduce harmful waste and/or manage consumption of energy and water. This session will look at product compliance and sustainability concerns of being a manufacturer today.

"Your Money or Your Brand? Ensuring the safety of licensed products without exposing your company to unwanted risks" Companies license their valuable trademarks and brands for licensees to use on consumer products for a myriad of reasons. Extending the brand into new areas, strengthening and increasing attention to the brand, creating revenue outside the core product line are just a few. But licensed consumer products that are not safe can present substantial risks to consumers as well as financial and reputational risks to the companies whose names they bear.

Product licensing experts will discuss their experience and thoughts for dealing with the quandaries inherent in consumer product licensing and recommendations for successfully navigating these waters.

The rapid expansion of the fitness tech industry brings unprecedented access for consumers to opportunities to improve their health and general well-being. New technologies are allowing consumers to be better educated about their health and fitness, to receive safer training, and engage with each other in a positive and safer way.

This dynamic panel session will bring unique insights from leading organizations in this fast-moving sector, helping the ICPHSO audience tap into the ways in which fitness tech companies are increasingly prevalent in the consumer product world, and how the product safety community can learn from the ways in which those companies are able to manage health and safety issues through the communities they create.

There's no question that times have changed in the almost 50 years since Section 15 of the Consumer Product Safety Act was written. Section 15, the defining authority for companies to report potential defects that can result in a Corrective Action Plan, is the subject of current legislative proposals for significant changes to how Corrective Action Plans, including recalls, are administered.

But are CPSC's procedures for Section 15 out of date and in need of change to “get with the times”? Or are the proposals trying to fix things that "ain’t broke"? This panel of former CPSC Compliance staff will offer their unique perspectives on the internal and external workings of the Office of Compliance and how industry and others can respond.

Manufacturers, old and new, are dealing with many issues when trying to get products to market. Performance and safety requirements have been in existence for many years, but the materials being used in your products, recyclability and end-of-life concerns have become important, especially for electrical and electronic products.

From design to production, everyone who is involved with the manufacturing process needs to ensure that all requirements are being met before the first product leaves the dock. Engineering needs to design products which conform to all applicable standards. Purchasing needs to procure materials which are compliant with requirements and also meet engineering specifications. Production needs to ensure that nothing ‘bad’ is added during the manufacturing process. In this continually changing marketplace, knowing what’s in your product is just as important as knowing that your product works safely. Products are required to meet relevant material restrictions and environmental regulations, such as RoHS, REACH and California Proposition 65. This entails good supply chain management and production control management in order to not only supply ‘green’ products but provide processes which may reduce harmful waste and/or manage consumption of energy and water. This session will look at product compliance and sustainability concerns of being a manufacturer today.

In the US, the CPSC is charged with protecting consumers against unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products. But what happens when CPSC and consumers disagree about what risks are unreasonable? Who gets the last word? And if a risk comes from misuse of a product, does protecting misusing consumers supersede other consumers' access to the product? Ou panelists of former and current CPSC staff, will discuss the roles government and the consumer should each play in advancing product safety.

Senior CPSC Leadership will provide updates on changes within their organizations and take questions from attendees.

The Risk Management Group within CPSC’s Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction will discuss group priorities for this fiscal year, including identifying emerging hazards and IoT related incidents, and provide information about ongoing voluntary standards development in which they are participating.

What is a company’s responsibility for safety testing and analysis when introducing a new product. For products that fall within the scope of an existing mandatory standard that requires accredited independent third-party verification of conformity, the answer is straightforward. But what about products that fall within the scope of an existing voluntary standard? And what about for new, innovative products for which there is no standard -- what responsibilities do companies have for conducting safety testing and doing analysis of current research for introducing such products into the stream of commerce? The panel will explore these issues in-depth.

In an era where information is king and competition for attention is fierce, how do you deliver compelling safety messages that resonate with consumers and spur them to action? Many well-intended outreach, education and information (OIE) campaigns fall short of effectively capturing the attention of their target audiences, thereby reducing their utility in driving desired outcomes. This interactive session will explore how to understand what consumers (or customers) really care about when it comes to the safety of their products and the choices they make and how to craft relevant, compelling messages that “stick.” Participants will have the opportunity to glean insights from case studies presented by various safety stakeholders and consider how to craft compelling messages to drive desired action(s). Tips and best practices learned during the session could be applied in a variety of ways (e.g., compelling a consumer to take a certain safety-related action, improving recall effectiveness).

During any discussion of product safety, , it is vital to understand the perspective of the consumers that will be using products in their homes, in their businesses, and throughout their communities. A particular area of concern for consumer and parent advocacy groups is the effectiveness of product recalls and how they are perceived by the population that is most effected by them; the consumers. This panel will explore what can be done to enhance recall effectiveness based upon the knowledge and experience of the speakers. Valuable messages for any company experiencing a recall and how to best serve the consumer owners of the products being recalled.

Whether discussing a proprietary new product, briefing staff on an emerging safety issue of concern, or addressing questions arising about the safety of a product already on the market, a meeting at CPSC with appropriate staff, presents a vital and unique opportunity to advance an important objective. Now imagine if someone offers you the wisdom of how to effectively present to CPSC staff that only comes from sitting-in on dozens and dozens of CPSC meetings? This session provides the opportunity to gain the invaluable insights and perspectives of CPSC staff with decades of experience, who have been involved in numerous meetings on cutting edge issues that impact nearly every facet of product safety.

What is a company’s responsibility for safety testing and analysis when introducing a new product. For products that fall within the scope of an existing mandatory standard that requires accredited independent third-party verification of conformity, the answer is straightforward. But what about products that fall within the scope of an existing voluntary standard? And what about for new, innovative products for which there is no standard -- what responsibilities do companies have for conducting safety testing and doing analysis of current research for introducing such products into the stream of commerce? The panel will explore these issues in-depth.

In an era where information is king and competition for attention is fierce, how do you deliver compelling safety messages that resonate with consumers and spur them to action? Many well-intended outreach, education and information (OIE) campaigns fall short of effectively capturing the attention of their target audiences, thereby reducing their utility in driving desired outcomes. This interactive session will explore how to understand what consumers (or customers) really care about when it comes to the safety of their products and the choices they make and how to craft relevant, compelling messages that “stick.” Participants will have the opportunity to glean insights from case studies presented by various safety stakeholders and consider how to craft compelling messages to drive desired action(s). Tips and best practices learned during the session could be applied in a variety of ways (e.g., compelling a consumer to take a certain safety-related action, improving recall effectiveness).

Search for the word “plastic” online, and among the top 50 hits will be news articles about the problems with plastic like the effect of debris on marine life, and municipality bans on single use plastic bags. Simultaneously, plastic has revolutionized certain industries like healthcare, where plastic is used in innovative and life-saving / improving applications like pacemakers, and joint replacements. Plastic is literally embedded in our lives, with many beneficial applications. So, how do we solve for the problems related to its production, use, or misuse?

How can you leverage your marketing team within your organization to build stronger product compliance programs? An effective collaborative relationship can in fact co-exist between marketing and QA/compliance. Learn how effective marketing communication strategies can help retailers better protect their brand reputations to assure consumer safety expectations are met.

Feedback is coming from consumers from more and more sources and in higher volumes than ever before. Channels such as email, chat, social media and classic “customer care” all feed into the bucket of consumer feedback. Panelists will talk about the challenges around different feedback sources including but not limited to volume, evaluation of standardized and non-standardized data holistically and action needed to comply with legal obligations. How do you effectively sort and act on all customer feedback being received to remain compliant, respond to consumers and share information among partners.

Since online shopping emerged, safety concerns have been raised and somewhat addressed. The 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act includes requirements for safety warnings to be visible online and ban the sale of recalled products, on or off line. But recent media reporting, has shown that at any given time, consumers can be confronted with thousands of dangerous -- and illegal -- products for sale in marketplaces online. What is the current state of online safety, what can manufacturers, retailers, regulators and consumers do to keep online shopping safe and thriving.

Manufacturing continues to decline in China as companies shift their operations to other regions. This may be the result of rising labor costs, increased taxes, or the fact that the US President literally sent out a tweet ordering American companies to "immediately start looking for an alternative to China". Regardless, successfully moving one's supply chain to a new factory/region is more than just signing a contract. It requires a lot of planning to address quality issues (especially new regional issues), and provides an opportunity to build in new approaches to quality and compliance. Attendees will hear from the perspective of a US brand, a contract manufacturer in Asia, and a lab representative that supports large retail supply chains around the potential benefits of migrating supply chains and the challenges. This panel will provide clear guidance on best practices when moving factories.

Many product safety stakeholders work to develop product safety standards. What happens once a standard is finalized? How do manufacturers work to comply with voluntary standards? How do trade associations work to comply with voluntary standards? How does the Consumer Product Safety Commission interact with and view the standard? What can the CPSC do to enforce a standard? Is it automatic? What steps must be taken to enforce a standard? How do all product safety stakeholders work together after a standard is finalized? We will explore these and other aspects in this panel with leading experts involved in developing voluntary standards and monitoring the marketplace.