Hi Gary:
What about warning the customer against foreseeable misuse of the product that
might be hazardous? I’ve seen the signal words used for instance where the
warnings says something like “Do not dispose of the battery by incineration”
I don’t define “misuse” as failure to abide by a warning. Failure to abide by
a warning is a failure of a behavioral safeguard. If, as in your example, the
behavioral safeguard is the only safeguard, then an injury will occur.
I define “misuse” as using a product for some use other than intended use. For
example, a chair is intended for sitting. However, when a chair is used as a
stool, it is being misused. (In this case, misuse is foreseeable.) We are
rarely privy to the intentions of people to accomplish a task by misusing our
kinds of products. Without knowing the intent, and contrary to “conventional
wisdom,” misuse seldom can be foreseen.
Best regards,
Rich
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