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Kitty Pilarz
Mattel/Fisher-Price |
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“Understanding standards, and participating in their development, provides a strong background for analysis of product safety.” |
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Who is your current employer and what is your current position? |
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I am the director of Worldwide Product Safety for Mattel/Fisher-Price. |
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Where did you obtain your undergraduate/ graduate degree(s) and in what fields? |
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I earned my B.S. in mechanical engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and my M.B.A. from Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. |
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When and why did you become involved in ASTM International? |
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I first became involved attending meetings in Philadelphia in 1990. Involvement in the development of safety standards has long been a of part product safety at Fisher-Price and Mattel. |
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In which committees are you active? Are you a committee officer; if so, what group or groups? |
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I am involved in the following groups within F15 on Consumer Products, which I joined in May 1990. I've been part of F15.09 and F15.22 for the longest period, since 1990. My affiliations include:
F15.09 on Home Playground Equipment
F15.11 on Bed Rails
F15.16 on High Chairs, Hook-on Chairs and Expandable Gates
F15.17 on Carriages, Strollers, Walkers and Stationary Activity Centers
F15.18 on Cribs, Toddler Beds, Play Yards, Bassinets, Cradles and Changing Tables
F15.19 on Infant Bedding
F15.20 on Bath Seats
F15.21 on Infant Carriers, Bouncers and Baby Swings
F15.22 on Toy Safety
F15.37 on Drawstrings for Children's Clothing
F15.52 on Scooters
F15.90, Executive Subcommittee
I am chair of the main committee, F15 on Consumer Products, and chair of Subcommittee F15.18. |
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How do you apply ASTM standards in your work? |
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ASTM standards are used daily in the development of new toys and children's products as well as in the testing of existing products. |
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Apart from using standards, are there advantages to participating in standards development? |
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Participating in the development of safety standards provides an excellent opportunity for studying safety data and interacting with safety experts from a variety of backgrounds. Typically, representatives include consumer advocates, Consumer Product Safety Commission representatives, consultants, manufacturers, lawyers, educators and testing laboratories. If not for the standard setting process, these diverse interest groups would rarely meet outside a courtroom or legal proceeding.
Standards meetings are informative and candid. Attendees share their experiences and knowledge to create better standards and, ultimately, better products. |
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What are some of your favorite aspects of your job? |
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Product safety for children is extremely important work, and presents enormous challenges and opportunities. That makes every day interesting. |
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Are there advantages that you can identify that result from having an understanding of standards? |
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Understanding standards, and participating in their development, provides a strong background for analysis of product safety. It influences the assessment of products for which there are ASTM standards, as well as products that may have similar characteristics but for which no standard exists. |
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Are there any words of wisdom that you can offer to professionals starting out in your field? |
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I encourage professionals in product safety to research carefully, and seek input from a variety of sources, including safety standards, medical professionals, academic researchers, government agencies, and international sources.
2005
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