2026 North America Product Safety Training Workshop

In this “fireside chat”, international product safety experts Josep Tous (Spain) and Rod Freeman (UK) will discuss some of the latest developments in international product regulation, and share their insights on what they mean in practice for international stakeholders.  Topics discussed will include current trends in enforcement practices, the likely impact of the United Nations Principles for Consumer Product Safety, the blurring lines between online safety and product safety, the EU as a leader in product safety in the circular economy, international approaches to online marketplaces, and the “once in a generation” reforms currently under way in the UK.

Effective safety communication is about more than words. It’s about context, design, timing, and trust. In this panel, experts will explore what truly makes product warnings effective—whether that’s supporting behavior change, reducing injuries, or meeting legal obligations—and why so many warnings fail to resonate. Panelists will examine the tension between human behavior and design, the risks of warning overload, and where responsibility should ultimately be shared among manufacturers, regulators, and consumers. The discussion will also address how regulatory frameworks shape (and sometimes limit) innovation, when warnings should be considered in the product lifecycle, and how safety communication must evolve in an increasingly digital marketplace. Attendees will leave with practical insights into designing warnings people actually heed, strategies to reduce overload without sacrificing safety, and concrete ideas for reimagining common warnings to better protect consumers and brands alike.