June is National Safety Month. Now ask yourself- “How important is safety in your life?” Let’s be honest, safety is very important! From the house, to the workplace and everywhere in between, our main goal each day is to make sure that we make it home without encountering any hurt, harm or danger. This goal is even more important once  you become a parent. I know personally, that since the moment that I found out I was pregnant (yes, well before my son was even born), my main goal of safety shifted from just being concerned about myself to also being concerned about my child. I’m sure many parents can share this same sentiment. That’s why National Safety Month is so important.

I was recently watching an episode of VH1’s “Dad Camp” and was alarmed to hear Dr. Jeff Gardere say that “auto and household accidents are the leading cause of death for children.” Of course, it is understandable, but still surprising, nonetheless. On this particular episode, the future dads were learning how to correctly install the car seats for their babies. Many of them struggled with this task, and I totally understood where they were coming from because I had the same issues. However, each of them listened intently as the instructor showed them the correct way to install the car seat so that they could do it on their own. This really struck me. Many of the guys were pretty young (22 and younger). At that age, some people will tune out on safety issues because they have the mentality that they will be fine and no harm will ever happen to them. However, these guys listened and learned, not just for themselves, but for the baby that they knew was on the way and going to need their protection.

Regal Lager understands the importance of National Safety Month and implements their safety policies each and every day. Case in point, the majority of the Regal Lager staff are certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Techs for car safety. Two of the company’s distributed products are safety related- Cybex’s Solution X-fix high back booster seat and Lascal’s KiddyGuard gate. The KiddyGuard gate is certified by the Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association (JPMA).  As a parent, I find this very important because:

• The JPMA Certification standards were developed by ASTM International (formerly The American Society for Testing & Materials) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision (CPSC)
• Products are tested at least once each year by the manufacturer or an accredited lab
• Each product also undergoes Random Retail Testing

Originally, the National Safety Council (NSC) established this month in 1996 to increase safety awareness. Each week focuses on a specific safety venue: workplace, traffic, home and community. You can tailor each week for your particular situation. The NSC’s main vision is “Making Our World Safer.” What have you done today to make your world and your children’s world safer?

Posted on: 6/17/2010 at 7:55 AM
Tags: national safety month, car safety, child safety, cps tech, cybex car seats, safety gate, kiddyguard gate, lascal, solution x-fix, jpma, juvenile product manufaturers association, jeff gardere
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Regal Lager is proud to announce the KiddyGuard Avant safety gate by Lascal has been selected as a winner of the 2009 JPMA Innovation Awards Competition. Internationally recognized, the Innovation Awards highlight some of the most exciting new products in the marketplace today. Held annually, the Awards are sponsored by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. 

More than 100 products were entered, with only 10 winners selected. The competition was held during the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas, where each exhibiting company at the show was invited to submit new products introduced in the market within the last year. Entries were evaluated by a selection committee of trade media representatives and industry retail buyers, and were judged on their innovation, marketability, trend-setting potential, appeal and usefulness. The Lascal KiddyGuard Avant takes roll away gates to the next level. 

The Avant is the perfect balance of contemporary design, advanced functionality and complements any home. It is highly versatile and easily installs in doorways or any openings up to 51” wide, as well as the top of stairs. High quality materials include anodized aluminum casing and soft and sturdy mesh that can hold up to 220 lbs. The safety gate requires a minimum amount of space and “disappears” when not in use.   

“Lascal is honored to have been chosen as one of the 10 winners at this year’s JPMA Innovation Awards Competition,” commented Bengt Lager, president of the exclusive distributor in the U.S. “This prestigious designation is a highly coveted and exciting international industry event.”

From Right to Left: Luanne Whiting-Lager (Vice President of Regal Lager), Bengt Lager (President of Regal Lager) and Jöran Lundh (President of Lascal, Ltd.)

Posted on: 9/23/2009 at 6:35 AM
Tags: child safety gate, award winning baby products, jpma innovation award, jpma, the juvenile products manufacturers association, lascal, gate, gate for toddlers, gate for children, disappearing gate, rollaway gate
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Vice President of Regal Lager, Luanne Whiting- Lager was recently voted onto the Board of Directors for the Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association, Inc. (JPMA)

JPMA is one of the most influential associations in the baby product industry. The dedication and commitment to promote fair policies that began at the formation of this association still holds true in their mission today. After the U.S. government imposed an automotive tax to car seats in 1959, several juvenile product manufacturers came together to prove the tax was unfair and as a result, it was revoked and soon after JPMA was formed.

Since its inception, JPMA has been the “voice of the baby industry” and has been crucial in its role as a liaison for baby product manufacturers and government officials.  At this time, JPMA represents 95 percent of the prenatal to preschool industry. One of the main focuses of JPMA is promoting safety in children products and has done so through its rigorous testing and certification programs as well as staying abreast of rules and regulations within the industry.

More recently, JPMA has been heavily involved in educating the public about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), striving for a fair resolution to testing procedures and accreditation requirements. Mrs. Whiting-Lager has been an integral member of this initiative and has recently met with legislators in Washington, D.C.

She will serve a three year term on the Board of Directors and has various responsibilities including: participating in four to five meetings a year, conducting phone conferences with the two subcommittees (member benefits and public relations) and in general, keeping a pulse on the current events and news in the juvenile industry.

“I feel so fortunate to be in a position to give back to the industry, as we [Regal Lager] have received so much from the baby products industry.”

JPMA is also well known for conducting a voluntary certification program, which is a very thorough product testing and certification process. In order to participate, the manufactures’ products are taken to a third party warehouse to be tested. The product is tested a total of four times a year to ensure continued quality of a product. Testing is based on voluntary standards that are developed and published by ASTM International whose committee is composed of manufacturers, consumer groups, representation from the U.S. Consumer product Safety Commission and advocates.

Upon becoming JPMA Certified, manufactures must test 25 percent of their models each quarter with all models tested at least once per year. You can easily identify JPMA certified products by the seal on manufacturers’ packaging, products and advertisements. For parents, this is a great way to identify quality products that are safe for children. Regal Lager has been an advocate for promoting and selling high quality products. The Lascal KiddyGuard Gate is JPMA Certified and we have plans to move forward with other products we distribute.For more information about this organization or its stance on CPSIA, please visit: www.jpma.org.

Posted on: 4/15/2009 at 6:13 AM
Tags: jpma, luanne whiting lager, juvenile product industry, baby product indusstry
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