Blog: Unsafe Products
- Selecting Safe Toys
Dec 6, 2022
To Buy or Not to Buy? You are trying to find a toy for your toddler or a friend’s youngster. The label on the package reads: Intended for children over 3 years of age. Did you look at your bright and curious 2 year old, who takes things apart at home and think to yourself she’ll love this toy and she’s old enough to play with it? Don’t do it. Unless you are sure that that toy...Read More - Helmets: Protecting The Brain
Aug 4, 2021
Can More Be Done in the Design of Helmets to Reduce the Risk of Head Injury? The Answer to the Question is Frustratingly Simple: Yes. To understand how helmet safety can be improved, we first need to understand how the brain is concussed or more seriously injured. Brain injury, which runs the gamut from a low-level injury (e.g., sub-concussive) to the gravest of injuries (e.g., major bleeding throughout the brain and/or diffuse injury to the axons),...Read More - Hand Sanitizer Safety Check
Sep 16, 2020
Is your hand sanitizer safe? In the post-COVID-19 world, the use of and demand for hand sanitizer has skyrocketed. This demand has led to some loosening of regulation around hand sanitizer that the common consumer should be aware of in order to make informed and healthy decisions. The FDA relaxed regulations over acceptable ingredients to be used in hand sanitizer to help combat the global shortage. Organizations that compound hand sanitizer have more flexibility over the...Read More - A Basic Overview of the Vaping Illness Outbreak
Dec 4, 2019
Vaping has become increasingly popular among young adults in America. Studies show that 20% of Americans aged 18-29 say they vape despite the confirmed 42 fatality cases and probable 2,172 lung injury cases. Vaping is the inhalation and exhalation of aerosol, typically containing toxic chemicals, through e-cigarettes or vaporizing instruments. Vaping products contain a mouthpiece to inhale the aerosol, a battery pack and the e-liquid. Whenever individuals add THC, or the chemical responsible for the...Read More - Understanding Product Liability: When is a Product Unavoidably Unsafe?
Apr 1, 2016
When a product that has been carefully designed, manufactured and marketed still injures someone, responsibility partially depends on whether the product qualifies as an “unavoidably unsafe product.” A product found to be unavoidably unsafe is not considered defective, even if it causes injury. Three factors can cause a product to be defective. These include: Design defect: the product’s design could cause injury, and an alternative design could have reduced the risk of injury Manufacturer defect: the product was...Read More - Do Warning Labels Protect Kids From Unsafe Toys?
Jan 15, 2016
You stand in the toy store, shopping for a toddler. A toy label reads: Intended for Children Over Three Years of Age. It’s easy to assume the label means some children younger than three may lack the dexterity or intellectual development to use the toy. Unfortunately, consumers who have been misled in this way could be put in a devastating situation. Warning labels help protect toy manufacturers in injury-related lawsuits, especially when toys contain warnings about...Read More - 4 Ways Parents Can Protect Little Ones From Unsafe Toys
Jan 14, 2016
When a toy has undetected dangers, a child can sustain a serious injury in seconds. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has estimated that more than 250,000 toy-related injuries were treated in emergency departments and 11 deaths occurred because of dangerous toys in 2014. Below are a few tips to identify possible dangers before giving a toy to a child. An unforeseen manufacturing defect can also be the cause of a child’s toy-related...Read More - Recognizing Unsafe Toys Before They Hurt Your Child
Jan 13, 2016
Not all toy-related dangers are immediately clear, but certain characteristics can indicate hazards to young children. Below are a few factors to consider when shopping for new toys. Toys that look good to eat: Some toys are meant to look, smell or taste like food, which can invite a child to put the toy in his or her mouth. Toys with cords or chains: Ropes, chains, strings, elastic bands and other cords – even when they are...Read More - Helmets: How Do They Protect Against Serious Injury?
Jan 12, 2016
The effectiveness of a helmet in protecting players during an impact rests on two basic safety components: the helmet’s shell and liner. Together, the shell and liner absorb and reduce the force from an impact that would otherwise likely cause serious injury. Shell Helmets almost always have a smooth, hard outer surface called a shell. The shell protects the head from being penetrated by objects. It also distributes an impact over a wider area rather than at...Read More - What is Post Concussion Syndrome?
Nov 30, 2015
Post concussion syndrome (PCS) is a persisting medical problem that occurs after a head injury and can last for weeks or more than a year, according to Mayo Clinic. PCS can be difficult to diagnose because the condition shares many of the same symptoms of a concussion. Signs of PCS include: Mild to severe headaches Difficulty concentrating or remembering Noise and light sensitivity Dizziness Fatigue Irritability Anxiety Insomnia The risk of PCS may be higher in children as well as in adults with a history...Read More