6.a) Explain the technical requirements of product safety.
Answer:
PRODUCT SAFETY
A quality product is one that meets or exceeds customer standards and expectations. Product safety is intimately associated with consumers. Therefore, safety of the consumers from faulty product is very much important, for this purpose product liability law was introduced. According to this law one who sells any product in an effective condition and unreasonably dangerous to the users or consumers or to his property is subjected to liability.
Technical requirement of product safety program
The product safety program is carried out in five steps:
- Design review.
- Documentation & change Control.
- Purchase product control.
- Manufacturing & quality control.
- Packaging & Marketing.
1. Design review
Products design is rarely the effort of a single individual; rather, the process of development involves a wide range of technical & Managerial skills. This product design process is divided into 3 stages conceptual Stage, intermediate Stage, and the final preproduction stage.
| Stage | Tasks to be Considered |
|---|---|
| Conceptual Stage | Function performance features, Cost to produce, Life expectancy, Environment for use, Special characteristics (e.g., safety, instructions) |
| Intermediate Stage | Preparation of layouts, Electrical schematics, Specifications and needs of initial tooling |
| Final Preproduction Stage | Detailed schematics & drawings with tolerances, Materials, Manufacturing processes |
The consumer product safety commission (CPSC) suggests that persons representing production, quality control, consumer services & management personnel comprise the design review committee. This committee addresses product design safety which also takes preliminary hazard analysis (PHA) into account. Once PHA has been completed then the beginning of the formal design review process takes place.
2. Documentation & Change Control
Accounting is a financial documentation essential for effective management. Technical record keeping is necessary for effective management. Records of product development have to be produced in litigation matters, when specifically requested, and can be used as evidence.
Any changes in design, production, and distribution have to be controlled and incorporated into all documentation. It is particularly important that drawing, manufacturing changes, quality control tests, and inspections be current with the design.
3. Purchase Product Control
The control of the quality of purchased parts is equally important to the quality control of the final product. It is necessary, therefore, that control over vendors be consistent with the potential safety impact of the parts they supply. This control is often over the purchase specifications, which may include dimensions and tolerances or might be related to material properties. The CPSC has established some purchase product control actions which are applicable as follows:
- Purchased documents should be clear and concise with respect to design, material, and safety specifications.
- Select proven vendors.
- Verify conformance of supplies to contractual requirements.
- Attend to promote corrective action when necessary.
- Agreement on the responsibility of suppliers for reporting hazards to the manufacturers.
4. Manufacturing & Quality Control
Concern for manufacturing safe products is not different from safely manufacturing products. This considers the task, the machinery, and the worker. Machinery and procedures should conform to all safety regulations, and workers should be certified for critical tasks such as welding or brazing. Equal interest should be given to detecting any manufacturing defects to prevent user injury. Whereas designed defects can affect the safety of all the units of a product, in order to prevent manufacturing defects, incorporate quality control procedures. Such procedures include various inspection and testing methods, selected depending on the nature of the specific product and based upon random sample test procedures and statistical analysis of results. Analyze the test results fairly with respect to user safety.
5. Packaging & Marketing
Packaging is normally thought of as the protection for products during shipment. Packaging also includes instructions for assembly, use, and maintenance. In most cases, packaging can be important as there are some instructions and warnings. These arise as a duty to warn of hazards which cannot be eliminated or reduced, but the product is desirable for societal needs.