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Products Liability Keyed to Fischer, 6th Ed.
Southland Mower Co. v. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Citation:
619 F.2d 499 (1980)Facts
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) promulgated safety standards for walk-behind power lawn mowers to address the approximately 77,000 blade-contact injuries occurring annually in the United States, which resulted in estimated economic costs of $253 million. The standard consisted of three principal provisions: a foot-probe test to ensure blade inaccessibility, a requirement that blades stop within three seconds after the operator releases the handle, and warning labels. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) challenged the standard, arguing that it improperly included non-consumer products, lacked substantial evidence supporting the foot-probe and blade-stop requirements, and imposed unreasonable costs. Consumer advocate Hayward contended the three-second blade-stop requirement was too lenient and should be shorter.
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