Safer by Design A Guide to the Management and Law of Designing for Product Safety

Product safety begins with design or formulation whether it is for a complex engineering product or a simple household article. Those who suffer damage from a design defect can win compensation without having to prove negligence. Manufacturers, suppliers and importers can all be responsible for ensuring that their products are safe. To help protect them against prosecution, customer dissatisfaction and commercial loss requires a programme of risk reduction, which begins with the management of design. Design and product development require a balanced approach to the new realities of the legal situation, both for companies and individual designers. Part One reviews the strategy needed to manage design in the fresh legal climate and includes guidance on techniques that can be used. Part Two is a jargon-free guide through the difficult area of international product liability law. It has been entirely rewritten to reflect the many recent changes to influence European law and a designer's personal liability. Part Three brings home vividly the physical, legal and commercial risks of product defects and demonstrates ways in which they could be prevented. There are over 20 real life, fascinating and instructive case histories, many of them new, ranging from exploding office chairs to ro-ro ferries and from washing powder to aircraft. Safer by Design is exceptional in providing management and risk assessment advice, coupled with legal guidance and actual practical lessons.

Contents: Foreword. Part One The Management of Design Risks: The management strategy; Product databases; Identification of risks; Reducing design risks; Design review systems; Residual risk transfer; Risk retention. Part Two The Legal Background: Legal developments in Europe; Product liability in the United Kingdom; Liabilities in export markets; Personal liabilities of designers. Part Three Case Histories: The lessons from history; Consumer products ; Motor cars; Industrial products; Aerospace; Ships; Greek mythology; Glossary; Appendices: Council decision concerning modules for conformity assessment procedures for CE marking; Consumer Protection Act 1987 Part 1; Index.

Howard Abbott is a consultant with years of international experience in product safety management, including working for ITT and Unilever. He is a regular conference speaker and has written many articles and books, including Product Liability - An Exercise in Corporate Survival, Safe Enough to Sell? Managing Product Recall, and Product Risk Management. Mark Tyler is a partner of McKenna & Co solicitors and a specialist in the law of product liability and health and safety. He is consultant editor of Health & Safety - Liability and Litigation.