iLEARN
by Amy Noles
Recalled for a Reason
W
complete loss of vehicle control, accelerator controls that may break or stick,” or “child safety seats that contain defective safety belts, buckles, or components that create a risk of injury.”
We probably pay most attention to product recalls that involve our cars and our food, but the two administrations and one commission that the issue recalls do so for all sorts of products and reasons. And you know what - we really need to pay attention to them!
Take, for example, a manufacturer’s announcement that its frozen hash browns “may be contaminated with extraneous golf ball materials” believed to have been harvested with the potatoes. As peculiar as this situation sounds, the potential consequences for anyone who may have eaten the contaminated hash browns - choking or digestive injuries - were anything by funny.
hen you buy somethings from a grocery store, local retailer, or even a reputable online vendor, you can reasonable assume it’s safe for its intended use. But in the manufacturing and supply chain - as in life - things don’t always go according to plan.
Unsafe or Defective
A product typically is recalled when it’s found to contain a defect that makes it unsafe or it fails to meet a federal safety standard. Different agencies oversee recalls of various types of products. For example, in the United States: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates 80% of food products, as well as medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics.
The Case of the Bad Hash Browns
The manufacturer worked with the Food and Drug Administration and supermarkets to remove the affected products from store shelves and asked consumers to return, or throw away, the hash browns. That, essentially, is how recalls work - although they vary depending on the type of product, the nature of the
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is responsible for items consumers use in their homes, schools, and recreation. This includes appliances, clothing, furniture, sporting equipment, baby gear, and toys. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) oversees recalls of motor vehicles and related items, such as tires and child safety seats. In the case of FDA-regulated products, spokesperson Peter Cassell can name several examples of recall-worthy issues such as “a drug product that does not contain the labeled amount of active drug ingredient, a food that contains an undeclared allergen, or a cosmetic product contaminated with harmful bacteria.”
defect and the extent of the threat to public safety. Typically, they’re triggered by the manufacturer or distributor, which then collaborates with the relevant government agency, to spread the word and make sure the necessary steps are taken to fix the problem.
NHTSA, on the other hand, might require a recall in response to “steering components that break suddenly, causing partial or
Occasionally, the agencies themselves initiate recalls in response to their own inspections or reports from consumers.
16
NOVEMBER 2017
PAFM
iListWesternKentucky.com