PROSAFE to Examine Ladders, Laser Pointers
The 2010 Joint Action involves market surveillance of five new product categories in 21 European countries.
PROSAFE, the nonprofit Product Safety Enforcement Forum of Europe, announced July 27 that it is managing a project to begin market surveillance on five more categories of consumer products, including visibility clothing and laser pointers. PROSAFE already coordinates surveillance of several product categories -- lighters, toys, and more.
Called the 2010 Joint Action, this project coordinated by PROSAFE will involve the participation of 21 European countries. It has received 70 percent funding from the European Union. Market surveillance will be carried out in the next two years on children's dress clothing, imitation food products, ladders, laser pointers, and visibility clothing and accessories. The project also will focus on cooperation with Customs, outreach to China, international cooperation, coordination of and dissemination and use of results by all member states, stakeholder outreach, and follow-up with standards organizations.
PROSAFE supports creating a multi-year European market surveillance program, as do the European Commission and the European Parliament, and the 2010 Joint Action "represents an important first step in this direction," Bruce Farquhar, joint action coordinator, said in its release says.
Past actions by PROSAFE involved several European countries working together to investigate the safety of a specific product. This usually involves developing a sampling plan, drawing up a test protocol often based on the applicable voluntary standards, and having the products tested. Corrective action is then implemented as necessary by the participating countries.