Code for Safe Marketed Products Released

There is a code for safe marketed products. The OPSS “Code of Practice” for bringing safe products to market is now available and free to download. The guide is published on the 25th of March 2022.

Who’s Initiative Is This?

OPSS has been working with consumers and businesses in recent months to assist in the development of a Code of Practice. This will help businesses understand their obligations to provide safe products to customers. The British Standards Institution (BSI), the UK’s national standards body, has been sponsored by OPSS to develop a Code of Practice. The main goal is to assist businesses in bringing goods to market safely. 

The OPSS has a Code of Practice for safe marketed products released in March 2022. It is in PDF format and free to download.

For Whom Is This Code Released?

“PAS 7050:2022, Bringing safe products to market”, was released to assist businesses in meeting their product safety duties. As a result, it should ensure that new and used consumer products placed on the market are safe. PAS stands for Publicly Available Specification.

“As product supply chains become more complex, businesses need to develop their systems to ensure they only bring safe products to market. This new Code will help protect consumers by supporting businesses to get it right the first time. The (PAS) has been developed by BSI, which has brought experts together. The expertise is in the field of consumer organizations, manufacturers, retailers’ businesses, and regulators.

Furthermore, OPSS also asked BSI to oversee a PAS 7100 examination of product recalls and corrective actions. These two Codes of Practice are now mutually beneficial. This new PAS includes modifications to encompass online marketplaces, as well as repair and refurbishing, for better product recalls”

Graham Russell, Chief Executive of the OPSS

What Is This Code For Safe Marketed Products About?

The objective of a Publicly Available Specification is to speed up standardization. This code for safe marketed products is designed to help businesses. PAS 7050:2022 is a two-part standard. It focuses on the processes, procedures, roles, and responsibilities associated with bringing safe consumer products to the market.

  • Part I is intended for businesses. This includes manufacturers, designers, importers and distributors.  Furthermore repairers, refurbishers and the operators of online marketplaces for consumer products are within the scope.
  • Part II is intended for regulators that support businesses in not only meeting the guidance in Part I but also the implementation of a product safety management plan (PSMP).

What Does PAS 7050:2022 Cover?

Part I of the Code For Safe Marketed Products

This part gives recommendations for the management of internal systems and supply chains. It focusses on the delivery of safe products to consumers. Besides this, it also applies to all new and second-hand consumer products (and their components, ingredients and raw materials. These include products for hire and loan. Consumer products include those intended for consumers or likely, under reasonably foreseeable conditions, to be used by consumers.

NOTE: 

Firstly part I is limited to the safety of products only. It is not concerned with safety in the workplace. Nor is it concerned with protecting the safety of persons due to the environmental impacts that can be caused by products. It doesn’t cover products covered by sector-specific schemes (e.g. automotive, medicines, medical devices). Nor does it cover transactions made consumer to consumer without the intermediation of any business.

Part II of the Code For Safe Marketed Products

This part provides recommendations for all those with regulatory responsibilities for consumer product safety, i.e. from policy through to enforcement. It covers how regulators can subsequently:

  • support businesses in developing their product safety management plan (PSMP) so that they bring only safe products to the market;
  • support businesses in assessing and improving the quality, documentation, and implementation of their PSMP; and
  • subsequently, respond proportionately where businesses fail to meet their legal obligations.

Why Is There a Code For Safe Marketed Products And Why Should You Use It?

This PAS can help the government and industry improve how product safety is integrated into everyday operations. It can also assist organizations in the following ways:

  • firstly to ensure that products comply with consumer safety product legislation;
  • secondly to improve the efficiency with which safe products are brought to market;
  • thirdly to accelerate innovation and expertise in safe product manufacture;
  • subsequently to give supply chain partners more confidence in your products, making it easier to trade; and finally
  • reduce product-safety related repetitional, commercial, and compliance risks.

PAS 7050:2022 contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 on good health and well-being and Goal 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure. 

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