INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT SAFETY MANAGEMENT

The American Apparel Footwear Association (AAFA) recently pubhshed the eleventh edition of the AAFA Restricted Substances List (RSL), covering apparel, footwear, travel goods, home textiles, and other fashion accessories. The updated RSL was released ahead of AAFA s International Product Safety and Environmental Compliance Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh, slated for December 5,2012. The list, which has become a go-to industry resource, together with a growing set of other chemical management tools. 

The International Board for Certification of Safety Managers (IBFCSM) offers qualified candidates the opportunity to earn the Certified Product Safety Manager (CPSM) credential. Qualified candidates need at least 8 years of education and/or experience combined to sit for the examination. Refer to the CPSM Handbook found on the board s website at www.ibfcsm.org for additional information and the examination outline. 

It is incumbent upon the toller to develop and follow internal management systems as appropriate to support business needs, production needs, process safety, environmental responsibility, and worker health. The selection process should have considered whether or not satisfactory systems are in place. Nevertheless, the contract or auxiliary documents may be the vehicle used to help ensure that the system reviewed is the system actually used for completing the toll in question. Within the process safety management system, the management of change and training elements are essential subsystems. 

These identified AE-drug combinations are hypotheses for further testing follow-up may be necessary to determine whether they represent a potential drug safety issue. Further evaluation may include a query and review of the company s safety database, review of the scientific literature and preclinical data and consultation/discussion with internal and external experts. If a product safety issue was identified, next steps would include the development of a risk management and risk communication plan. 

In this paper we want to show, how we perform safety programmes for our voice communication systems, how we try to reduce our efforts with maximum output in spite of the difficulties of different business areas with different standards (which occasionally change quite substantially over time). This includes the presentation of our safety management system, hazard log, internal trainings, safety analyses and the production of safety cases. 

Companies want to assure customers of the high quality of their products and services. This has led to the implementation of quality management systems and standards, such as ISO 9000. In addition, responsible organizations have to take care of the well-being of their employees, working environment, the impact of operations on the local community and the long-term effects of their products. This has led to the implementation of, e.g. EMAS, ISO 14000 and OHSAS 18001 international occupational health and safety management system specification (Leva 2003 Wilkinson and Dale 2007). 

As the US apparel and footwear industry continues to confront challenges posed by state, federal, and international chemical management and product safety requirements, the AAFA Restricted Substances List is just one of several tools AAFA offers to provide greater clarity, said AAFA President and CEO Kevin M. Brnke. The AAFA RSL can be a helpful resomce for the industry as we pm ue collaboration and harmonization of complicated rules and restrictions. We are delighted to offer this tool to the industry for free. ... 

Matias, J.C.D.O. Coelho, D.A. 2002. The integration of the standards systems of quality management, environmental management and occupational health and safety management. International Journal of Production Research 40(15) 3857-3866. 

This chapter has already hinted strongly at the need for information. If people are to work safely then, obviously, they need to know not just what hazards are present, but how to avoid them. For this, there has to be a body of knowledge which can be disseminated effectively. One source of information has already been described product safety data sheets. For all their faults, they are usually the basis of any data bank on chemical hazards. A practical problem is that few suppliers use the same format. It may, therefore, be helpful for laboratory or workshop managers to prepare internal data sheets, in a common format, for local use. Just as with the suppliers data sheets, these should concentrate on fact and avoid opinion. If, though, some chemicals are thought to be particularly dangerous, then the opportunity to highlight them should be taken. 

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