Positive Feedback Pours in for Safety Education Program

June 10, 2019 | The Toy Association’s Safety Education Program, an online course that walks participants through U.S. and international product safety standards and compliance rules for specific toy types, continues to receive positive feedback from toy professionals who have taken the course.

“I found the Safety Education Program to be an extremely informative and detailed overview of key state, federal, and international regulations and standards related to my industry,” said Eric Boschi, product safety scientist I at Crayola. “This program is a must for anyone new to the industry trying to navigate the difficult and sometimes confusing compliance landscape, while also serving as a good refresher course for more seasoned individuals. I especially enjoyed the course’s short, convenient modules which allowed me to stop and start at my own pace.”

“The training is really excellent,” added Kitty Pilarz, vice president of product safety & regulatory compliance for Mattel Inc. / Fisher-Price. “Mattel thanks The Toy Association for this fine program … I hope everyone appreciates this safety education and the tremendous time and research the association used to put it together.”

Offered in webinar format, the program includes 12 modules that take about 30 minutes each to complete. At the end of each module, participants must correctly answer questions on the content in order to move ahead. Everyone who successfully completes the program gets a certificate of completion from The Toy Association.

The course is led by The Toy Association’s Joan Lawrence, senior vice president of standards and regulatory affairs and chair of both U.S. and international committees on toy safety; Alan Kaufman, senior vice president of technical affairs, both a recognized expert and industry veteran with 40+ years of experience in toy safety; Rebecca Mond, vice president of federal government affairs, who regularly assists toymakers in understanding and complying with U.S. legislation and regulations; and Jennifer Gibbons, vice president of state government affairs, who works on product safety, chemical regulation, and environmental sustainability at the U.S. state level. Christian Wetterberg, senior director of product safety and compliance at The LEGO Group and chair of both the CEN (European) and ISO (international) committees on toy safety, brings in-depth insight and learning on the international landscape.

“This comprehensive safety program benefits all levels of toy professionals – from senior safety staff who have the complex task of navigating evolving laws in global markets, to junior level professionals who are just entering the toy industry,” said Ed Desmond, executive vice president of external affairs at The Toy Association. “It’s an excellent complement to The Toy Association’s suite of safety resources, in-person trainings and seminars, and day-to-day guidance offered to toy companies.”

The program is free for Toy Association members and available to non-members for a modest fee.

Learn more under the “Education” tab at www.ToyAssociation.org.