16.7.6 What do the government regulators do? Federal, state and territory bodies have important jobs to keep products safe. They do many activities to ensure product safety. General market monitoring Government bodies check all markets for unsafe products. They look for news about injuries or deaths linked to products. They test new products and respond to consumer complaints. They also keep an eye on new products from other countries. Encouraging safe practices Regulatory bodies encourage safe practices through various measures: 1. Negotiating product removal : This involves gaining agreement from suppliers to remove dangerous goods from sale in their stores or outlets, including online outlets. 2. Removing unsafe goods : Products need to be recalled if they are found to be dangerous. People who bought the product should return it to the store. If it can be ýxed, it will go back to the manufacturer. If it can’t be made safe, buyers get a refund. Recalls are announced in the media, often with special notices in newspapers. If companies know who bought the product, they contact those people directly.
SkillBuilder discussion Investigating 1. Discuss where and when you have seen a recall notice like the one in FIGURE10 . 2. Discuss the advantages
FIGURE10 Manufacturers that discover a fault in any of their products are expected to recall these products for repair, replacement or refund.
and disadvantages of issuing these notices.
3. Promotion of safety management : Government regulators want manufacturers to follow safety standards. There are two types: mandatory and voluntary. Mandatory standards must be followed. For example, electrical goods need clear instructions and warnings. Packaged food must show ingredients and nutrition information. Clothing must include care instructions. Voluntary standards are not required but can help suppliers promote their products. These usually focus on quality rather than safety.
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