Response to case study scenario 1

As a member of the safety testing group, it is my duty to perform tests on the USB devices so that these devices can conform to the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. All tests performed on the devices follow the USB-Implementors Forum, USB 2.0 Electrical Test Specification. A tolerance level of 5% is allowed for any faulty USB devices through hardware and manufacturing errors.

As only 3 of the devices failed, (1.5% out of 200 devices), I will take the following actions:

1. Notify, by telephone, the client of the problem immediatly and request a compulsory exchange of all 200 devices free of charge.
2. Notifiy existing clients of a potential problem with the USB devices, providing a link to a voluntary exchange website providing the details of how clients can replace their devices free of charge.
3. Invest in finding out a possible root cause and a solution to that cause.

All devices go through a rigious testing policy that follows a strict specification and the result of 1.5% devices of 200 with the potential to be a fire hazard may seem small but can have a big impact on the company. From a legal perspective, the company is liable for damages incurred in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act if such devices caused personal damage or damage to private property to a client. Any company dealing with legal issues relating to the design and manufacture of products will obviously want to investigate why such issues occured, and such companies may take disciplinary action to those people that are at fault, for example taking no action whatsoever on failed tests. Financially, there is a risk of legal claims against the company if these faulty devices cause harm or property damage, however providing an exchange service and notifiying customers of the issues is a more cost effective solution then ignoring the problem overall.

Simiarly, Dell reported that several laptop battery models, under rare conditions, had the risk of short circuiting and overheating which could pose a risk of fire. This potential risk was reported on many news bulletin websites to notify customers and a website waslaunched, http://www.dellbatteryprogram.com/, for customers to voluntary exchange the battery for a replacement.

As a former employee of a Stairlift company, I have seen some automated testing procedures in progress and see why such rigious testing policies and strict specifications that manufacturers must obide by to produce reliable and safe products for consumers is very important. By comparison, a Stairlift is larger and more complex than a simple USB device, but the principle remains the same, a product can not be sold on the market to customers if the product is not deemed safe.