Each of us encounters everyday activities that we find so trivial that we pay virtually no attention to them: shopping. We exchange tangible goods for goods that we want to use or consume. Every time you put a pastry in the basket, order a new TV from the eshop or choose a new car, you trust the manufacturer. Trust lies in the assumption that his product will satisfy your needs. But what you probably don't expect is the fact that the dream product can endanger your health, life or harm you. Nevertheless, this threat is real and, unfortunately, often becomes true.
The problem of producer responsibility for goods is not a modern phenomenon. Just look at Hammurabi from the 18th century BC, where you will find the wording: “If a builder builds a house for a man and does not make its construction sound, and the house which he has built collapses and causes the death of the owner of the house, the builder shall be put to death.“ Of course, today, such draconian punishments do not await us, but the principle of producer responsibility for the product has survived to this day.
Today, consumer protection and at the same time the obligation of the manufacturer, or the person who places the product on the market, is given by a set of laws, regulations and standards. It is a relatively complex and complex structure of various requirements, rules and orders. It takes a lot of experience and practice to get to know it perfectly. However, the basic principles and rules are quite simple.
Every manufacturer or person who places goods on the market must do his utmost to protect the consumer from the unintended consequences of using the product. What does it mean? Simply put, the manufacturer must carry out an analysis of the risks associated with the normal use of the product. If you then buy, say, a child's toy, the manufacturer must guarantee that it will not contain unauthorized chemicals or that small pieces will not be released during the game. An effective method for detecting hidden risks is, for example, design or process FMEA.
Every manufacturer must do everything to ensure that its products are manufactured according to the latest state of technological knowledge. This means that it is unacceptable to use outdated, albeit cheaper, technologies. This is partly addressed by the market, as the manufacturers themselves are trying to provide new processes and techniques to better satisfy the customer. However, it may happen that the manufacturer would like to intentionally use cheaper, less safe procedures, which the current legislation does not allow.
If a manufacturer finds that he would place a potentially dangerous product on the market, he must have procedures in place within his organization for risk assessment, management and handling of the potentially dangerous product. In practice, this is a set of activities that effectively protect the customer from property damage or personal injury. The speed and adequacy of the response is then assessed as a measure of the organization's maturity and plays an important role in resolving any litigation. The more qualified a company responds, the more favorable it can be judged.
In both Europe and the US, there are information systems that inform the average consumer about the worst safety failures of products. In the EU, it is the RAPEX system.
In this system, every EU citizen will find dangerous products that have been placed on the market. An exception is made for foods for which another system is created. The purpose is to protect the consumer from harm to health or property. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer or the person who places the goods on the market to notify the competent market surveillance authorities of the information on dangerous products. As with other legislation, ignorance of the law is no excuse.
Because the implementation and management of systems to protect customers from dangerous products within the organization is a relatively large agenda, it is customary in advanced companies to entrust the performance of this activity to a professional in the position of Product Safety Officer. This feature is often required in supplier-customer relationships, such as the automotive industry. However, the agent's activity is also proactive. His tasks include monitoring new technological processes, engaging in process and product design improvement, and transferring information from external sources to the organization.
Just as every company cares about the safety of its employees in terms of health and safety, it should also pay attention to consumer protection. It is no exception that the unreliable product was the cause of the collapse of well-known and long-established companies in the market. However, by underestimating the risk, they lost their market position, not to mention litigation, which brought them considerable financial losses, even bankruptcy. Gambling with the health of the consumer does not pay and this risk should not be taken by any company that takes care of its own customers. Unfortunately, the scope of this post could not cover all the details or answer all the questions regarding product safety. However, if you want to know more, we invite you to a Product Safety & Conformity Representative (PSCR) training.
Our lecturers will be happy to answer your specific questions regarding this issue. We hope that, as both producers and consumers, you will not encounter product safety issues. But even here, fortune favors the prepared mind.
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