From Baby Bath Aids To Bindeez: A Roundup Of Recent Product Safety Developments

A number of events last year focused the attention of the general public on product safety issues, including the safety of toys. Against this background, in late 2007 and early 2008, the ACCC was active in the areas of product safety and product information.

Often regarded as a poor cousin compared to Part IV of the Trade Practices Act which deals with Restrictive Trade Practices, Part V Division 1A (Product Safety and Product Information) deserves reconsideration as a potential risk exposure for Australian manufacturers.

It provides for a range of matters including:

• the introduction of mandatory consumer product safety standards when they are thought reasonably necessary to prevent the risk of injury;