Business

Safer Places Inc Adds COVID Testing to Its Background Check and Monitoring Services

Safer Places Inc., a firm providing pre-employment screening, tenant screening and security consulting, today announced it will offer COVID testing as part of its package of services for public agencies and private sector businesses. The testing services will be offered as a standalone offering or bundled with Safer Places, Inc.’s other background check and drug testing services.

Safer Places, Inc.’s COVID testing services will include both rapid tests and PCR testing for employees who need to be tested on a weekly basis or before visiting a client’s location. The new service can also be utilized for employees returning to work after being out with COVID. Testing will be self-administered by the employee.

“Here’s how it works, employees will be able to download an app to their phone and administer the test at home or wherever it’s convenient,” said David Sawyer, president of Safer Places, Inc. “A government-issued ID and facial recognition software are utilized with the app to verify and document the employee’s identity. The entire process is captured on video, including the results if it’s a rapid test. Instructions and a process to follow are given for the PCR testing.”

Companies and organizations can order COVID test kits can from Safer Places, Inc. that can be implemented without the validation process. Safer Places, Inc.’s COVID test offering includes a vaccination tracking system as well.

Pricing for COVID testing program starts at $15 for a single test and varies depending on the number of kits, length of engagement, type of test and other details. Some employers may want the employee to pay for their own test so the staff member can be reimbursed through their health insurance company. Safer Places can handle individual billing.

“One thing that’s become abundantly clear is we will be dealing with COVID and it’s variants for the foreseeable future,” said Sawyer. “Developing a workplace testing process will be key for companies looking to ensure a safer workplace for employees and visitors to your business.”

For information on Safer Places, Inc. COVID test programs or its other background check, customized screening and drug testing services, visit www.saferplacesinc.com or call 508-947-0600.

Brazil Publishes New Ordinance for Metal Cookware

SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, reminds suppliers of metal cookware in Brazil that a new ordinance has been published detailing consolidated technical regulations and conformity assessment requirements.

Issued on December 28, 2021, by the Ministry of Economy/National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO), Ordinance No. 499 relates to metal cookware that is only for use in ovens and on stoves. This is clarified in the Ordinance with the following specifications:

Cookware to be used in ovens, including baking pans, trays or other metal cookware with a similar function: no more than 75 cm base or diagonal diameter
Cookware to be used on stoves, including water baths, casseroles, steam cookers, kettles, popcorn makers, pots, woks, teapots, coffee pots or other cookware with a similar function: no more than 17 L volumetric capacity
Cookware to be used on stoves, including grill pans, barbeque grills, crepe pans, frying pans, sandwich makers or other cookware with a similar function: no more than 40 cm base or diagonal diameter
Pressure cookers: no more than 30 L volumetric capacity

Cookware not covered in the Ordinance includes larger capacity articles, than those listed above, and those exclusively for hotels, camping and industry, pans made of silicone, electric pans, rechaud-type pans and those that are disposable.

The Ordinance establishes consolidated legislation with:

Annex I – quality technical regulations
Annex II – conformity assessment requirements
Annex III – specifications for conformity identification seals, including those for utensils with non-stick coatings

Suppliers can choose Certification Model 1b (batch test), 2 or 5 for conformity assessment requirements. The certificate of conformity (CoC) for Model 4 or 5 is valid for four years.

Other provisions in the Ordinance include:

Cookware exclusively for use in hotels, industry or camping must be properly identified on their labels or packaging
Certified metal cookware must be registered with INMETRO
Within scope cookware is subject to market surveillance activities by INMETRO and other public enforcement agencies
Suppliers must furnish required information within 15 days when requested by INMETRO

The Ordinance also lists the supplementary documents required for conformity assessment. To read highlights of this list, see SGS’s original SafeGuard 012/22.

Ordinance No. 499 repeals Nos. 398/2012, 419/2012 and 21/2016. It entered into force on January 3, 2022, and the provisions will become effective on January 3, 2024.

SGS Food Contact Material Services

SGS’s technical experts have extensive experience of testing materials and articles in contact with food. They can ensure that your products meet the appropriate regulations for food contact materials and pave the way for compliance. SGS offers the full range of testing, including migration tests, along with expert advice on emerging regulations, compliance issues and documentation review. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Food Contact Material Services.

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Brazil Issues Legislation for Metal Cookware SafeGuardS.

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Dr. Hingwo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

ISO Publishes New Test Method to Quantify PAHs in Footwear Materials

SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, is reminding footwear and footwear component manufacturers that ISO has updated its test method for determining polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in footwear materials.

ISO 16190 defines a test method that requires a sample to be extracted using toluene in an ultrasonic bath. An aliquot is then analysed using a gas chromatograph with mass selective detector (GC-MS).

There are several updates in the new version of the standard, including technical and/or editorial changes to:

Terms and definitions
Reagents
Apparatus
Sample preparation
Procedure
Expression of results

PAHs are a group of structurally related hydrocarbons that have the characteristics of persisting in the environment and accumulating in food chains. They are known to be mutagenic, toxic, and/or carcinogenic to aquatic life and humans and, because of this, many major markets enforce restrictions on their presence in finished products.

In clothing and footwear products, PAHs are usually only present as impurities from low-grade raw materials. They are not intentionally added. Raw materials that may contain PAHs include extender oils (for softening) and carbon black (reinforcing agent). In footwear, this meaning PAHs can often be found as impurities in outsoles and printing pastes for screen prints.

Published in November 2021, ISO 16190:2021, “Footwear – Critical substances potentially present in footwear and footwear components – Test method to quantitatively determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in footwear materials” replaces the previous iteration of the standard from 2013.

SGS Softlines Services

SGS has a worldwide network of over 40 state-of-the-art laboratories, including 10 in China, specializing in testing of apparel, footwear, and home textiles. Their committed team is drawn from multi-disciplinary backgrounds, allowing them to conduct a comprehensive range of physical, chemical, and functional testing services for components, materials and finished products. SGS helps companies ensure quality, performance, and compliance with international, industrial, and regulatory standards worldwide. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Softlines Services.

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full New ISO Test Method Published for the Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Footwear Materials SafeGuardS.

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Louann Spirito

Consumer and Retail — Softlines

US & Canada Softlines Business Head

Tel: +1 973 461 7919

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/softlines

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

Potential Opportunity Worth XX Bn is opening up in Genomics

As Genome Sequencing heads to $100 Direct-to-Consumer, a potential opportunity worth $50 Bn is expected to open up, leading to a million terabytes of genome data by 2025.

The genome sequencing market will reach $25 Bn by 2026, further intensified by COVID-19, and oncology and rare disease diagnostics coupled with pan-genome studies. Adjacent markets of data storage, high-performance computing (HPC), lab automation, and AI are anticipated to see unlocking of a further $20 Bn.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/practices/pdfdownload.asp

According to MarketsandMarkets analysis,

$50 Bn of potential opportunity is opening up as genome sequencing heads to $100 direct-to-consumer, which was one of the most talked-about trends in 2021.
The global genomic studies and projects comprising advanced genetic sequencing are expected to drive better clinical decision-making in the coming years, presenting lucrative growth opportunities to NGS companies.
Additionally, the life sciences market is witnessing an increased adoption of AI, personalized healthcare, gene editing, etc., which is likely to disrupt the demand for genomics, in turn impacting the growth of the market.
The increasing demand for sequencing and bioinformatics in diagnostics is predicted to disrupt the demand for IVD over the next few years.

MarketsandMarkets is focused on high-growth, niche markets, such as AI in genomics, spatial genomics & transcriptomics, liquid biopsy, single-cell analysis, and related markets, providing a comprehensive understanding of the entire genomics ecosystem through the World’s First Market Intelligence Cloud, ‘KnowledgeStore’. It helps find blind spots in clients’ revenue decisions because of interconnections and unknowns that impact clients and their client’s clients.

New York is First State to Restrict Organohalogen Flame Retardants in Electronic Displays

SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, reminds businesses operating in New York State that the governor, Kathy Hochul, has recently signed into law new requirement on the use of flame retardants in furniture, mattresses and electronic enclosures with displays.

This ground-breaking bipartisan Bill (A5418B and companion bill S4630), is the first in the US to prohibit the entire group of organohalogen flame retardants in electronic enclosures, such as televisions. It amends Article 37 in the state’s Environmental Conservation Law and inserts Title X (10), to be called the ‘Family and Fire Fighter Protection Act’.

Title X reads:

TITLE X

REGULATION OF CHEMICALS IN UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE, MATTRESSES AND ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES

The Act has several definitions of which stakeholders should be aware:

“Covered flame-retardant chemical” – any chemical that meets both of the following criteria:
1. Functional use to resist or inhibit the spread of fire or as a synergist to chemicals that resist or inhibit the spread of fire
2. One of the following: a halogenated, organophosphorus, organonitrogen, or nanoscale chemical
“Electronic enclosures with displays” – consumer product with a display screen and associated that, as its primary function, displays visual information from wired or wireless sources and is available for purchase by individuals or households for personal use in a residential space

Exemptions to the provisions in the Act relating to electronic displays include:

Screen areas of no more than 100 cm²
Projectors
Virtual reality headsets
All-in-one video conference systems
Displays that are integrated with appliances and are not available for purchase as separate products by end-users

Stakeholders should be aware of the following dates:

December 31, 2022 – manufacturers of electronic displays sold in New York State must also submit an annual report identifying all flame retardants used in enclosures and their stands
January 1, 2024 (per section 37-1003) – “no person shall sell or offer for sale in the state of New York any new, not previously owned, upholstered furniture or mattress, that contains, or a constituent component of which contains, any intentionally added covered flame retardant chemical, individually or in combination.”
January 1, 2024 (per section 37-1007) – “no person shall sell or offer for sale in the state of New York any electronic display that contains an intentionally added organohalogen flame retardant chemical in the enclosure or stand of such electronic display.”

Failure to conform to the provisions in sections 37-1003 and 37-1007 can result in a civil penalty not exceeding USD 1,000 for each day during which violation continues. The penalty will increase to USD 2,500 for each day because of a second violation.

Stakeholders are advised now check their products conform to the latest flame retardant restrictions in New York State.

SGS Chemical Testing

SGS offers a comprehensive range of testing services to help manufacturers and suppliers ensure their products are safe and comply with national and international regulations concerning harmful chemicals. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

Learn more about SGS Chemical Testing Services.

For further information contact:

Sanjeev Gandhi

Deputy Vice President

Connectivity & Products

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/cgnr

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 93,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

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