Conformity Magazine - July 2008 - (Page 58)

NewsBreaks continued from page 11 country’s Food and Drugs Act, and to create a Canadian Consumer Product Safety Act, which will give the national government broad power to protect consumers from potentially unsafe products. Previously, the government’s product recall powers extended only to unsafe food. The new law extends the government’s reach to cover all consumer products, and manufacturers can face monetary forfeitures of as much as $5 million dollars if found guilty of selling unsafe consumer products. Readers can view the complete text of the Globe and Mail report at www.conformity.com/1914. According to the ESD Association (ESDA), the Symposium represents the single best source for information and solutions related to the control of electrostatic discharge. This year’s Symposium will feature a full threeday program of technical sessions and educational tutorials. Advanced registration for the Symposium continues through July 25th, offering discounts of as much as $200 from the on-site registration fees. Our readers can learn more about this year’s Symposium at www.esda.org/ symposia.html, or by calling the ESDA at 315-339-6937. while charging, posing a hazard to consumers. The company has received three reports of incidents, including one report of a consumer who received serious burns to his hand when a battery ignited. The recalled battery chargers with batteries were sold through HobbyLobby.com from April 2006 through July 2007 for about $300. Fire Alarm Control Panels: Gamewell-FCI, of Northford, CT has recalled about 3000 of its fire alarm control panels. The company says that the sounder on the panel’s main circuit board can fail to alert when there is a malfunction. Gamewell-FCI has not received any reports of injuries or incidents related to the recalled control panels, but has initiated the recall to prevent future incidents and injuries. The control panels were sold through authorized distributors to commercial end users from May 2007 through November 2007 for between $900 and $1800. Gas Water Heaters: A.O. Smith Water Products Co. of Ashland City, TN has announced the recall of about 1500 natural and propane gas water heaters. According to the company, the water heaters’ flue gas temperatures can exceed safe limits and produce excessive temperatures in the venting unit, posting a fire hazard. A.O. Smith says that it has not received any reports of incidents or injuries related to the recalled water heaters, but has initiated the recall to prevent future incidents. The water heaters were sold through independent contractors and plumbers nationwide from November 2007 through January 2008 for between $1000 and $2500. Heating and Cooling Units: Finally, Goodman Manufacturing Co. L.P. of Houston, TX has recalled about 1000 of its gas-electric heating and cooling units. The company says that the serial plates on the units contain inaccurate information that could result in the use of undersized insulation wiring, posing a fire hazard. Goodman has not received any reports of incidents or injuries related to the recalled units, but has initiated the recall to prevent future incidents. The recalled heating Updated Standards List for the EU’s ATEX Directive The Commission of the European Union (EU) has issued an updated list of standards that can be used to demonstrate conformity with the essential requirements of its Directive 94/9/EC concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (also known as the ATEX Directive). The extensive list of standards was published in the April 11th issue of the Official Journal, and replaces all previously published standards lists for the directive. Our readers can view the complete list of standards at www.conformity.com/1915. CPSC Actions in the News In conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the following manufacturers have issued voluntary recalls for certain electrical and electronic products. Here are the details: Clothing Valets: HSN LP of St. Petersburg, FL and Ingenious Designs LLC of Englewood, NY are recalling about 17,000 of their Charge-It-All brand clothing valet racks manufactured in China. HSN and Ingenious Designs report that the power strip located within the valet has undersized wires, which could pose fire and shock hazards to consumers. The companies have not received any reports of any incidents or injuries related to the recalled valet racks, but initiated the recall to prevent future incidents and injuries. The valet racks were sold exclusively through the Home Shopping Network from October 2007 through January 2008 for between $40-50. Battery Chargers: Hobby-Lobby International, Inc. of Brentwood, TN is recalling about 3200 lithium-polymer battery chargers with lithium-polymer batteries manufactured in China. HobbyLobby says that the batteries can ignite EOS/ESD Symposium Set for September Now celebrating its 30th year, the Annual EOS/ESD Symposium will be held September 7-12, 2008 at the Westin La Paloma Resort in Tuscon, AZ. 58 Conformity JULy 2008 http://HobbyLobby.com http://HobbyLobby.com http://www.esda.org/symposia.html http://www.esda.org/symposia.html http://www.conformity.com/1914 http://www.conformity.com/1915

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Conformity Magazine - July 2008 Contents Editor's Note FCC Adopts 6 Million Dollars in DTV Enforcement Orders Commission Enforcement Bureau Adopts V-Chip Consent Decree FDA Seeks 2 Million Dollars from Medical Device Manufacturer FDA Answers Questions About CFLs and UV Radiation EPA Issues Energy Star Specs for TV, Video Boxes Canada Unveils Sweeping Product Safety Legislation How the Evolution of CISPR Standards Continues to Shape the Requirements for Anechoic Chambers ESD Open Forum Reach Compliance for Non-EU Article Manufacturers The iNARTE Informer Preamplifier Considerations for Emission Measurement Systems Effective Shielding in Medical Electronics Applications Product News Focus On...Power Components Buyer's Guide Updated Standards List for the EU's ATEX Directive EOS/ESD Symposium Set for September CPSC Actions in the News Researchers Work to Develop Non-Flammable Batteries Safety Link Launches Redesigned, Enhanced Web Site IEC Standards Update UL Standards Update Product Reviews Telcordia Standards Update From Our "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" Department Looking Back: Items from Past Issues of Conformity Advertisers

Conformity Magazine - July 2008

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