Alan Ross Consulting offers independent and impartial consultancy and support services to the consumer products industry. Whether you are a designer, manufacturer, importer, retailer or just a member of the general public who has a problem, let me help you!
Drawing on over 20 years experience in quality control and product safety, Alan Ross Consulting is able to help you!
Below are some of the product areas in which Alan Ross Consulting can help you - whether it is in checking product performance and safety, carrying out inspections and/or audits of the supply chain, assistance with staff training, development of performance standards, or provision of expert testimony in the event of prosecution or legal dispute.
Click on the links on the left to find out more information about the services on offer or click on one of the boxes above to see more information on a specific product or services.
Clothing & Accessories
Assistance with developing product and performance specifications and quality manuals; guidance in testing of apparel and interpretation of test reports; investigation of product faults; inspections; expect witness; technical support; training courses;
Applicable to retail apparel (men's, ladies', and children's apparel including infant's clothing) and corporate clothing and uniforms. Technical assistance available for the supply of many of the major High Street and Mail Order companies.
Areas of testing covered included physical tests (abrasion, pilling, dimensional stability, snagging ,etc), colour fastness (water, light, washing, dry cleaning, light, rubbing ,perspiration, chlorinated water, sea water, etc), flammability (nightwear, PPE, general apparel), colour measurement (within fabric, between fabric/garments), fibre composition, fabric construction, F.A.S.T., etc.
Upholstery and furnishings
Assistance and guidance with testing of upholstery and home furnishing fabrics against UK and EU specifications and against contract specifications.
Guidance on the interpretation of specifications for upholstery (BS2543 and BSEN14465) and for curtains and drapes (BS5867).
Support with understanding the Furniture & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations for domestic upholstered furniture, testing of materials to meet the Regulations and specifications for non-domestic applications, technical support on fabric composition, construction, physical performance, etc. Guidance on flammability requirements for furnishings.
Covers tableware, oven gloves, place mats, cleaning cloths, etc. Technical support on fitness for purpose and product safety.
Testing, on-site inspections, expert witness, training courses ... from a rug to a commercial installation of carpet Alan Ross Consulting is there to help.
All consumer products must be 'safe' - so states the General Product Safety Directive 2005. But how do you decide what is 'safe'? Alan Ross Consulting can help guide you through the minefield of 'due diligence'. Avoid some of the common pitfalls which can lead to costly product recalls and redesign.
From a baby's bib to toys to children's clothing, everything potentially has hazards associated with it. Where children are concerned, can you afford to be blasé about evaluating safety, quality, and the performance. Remember the outcry over antimony in cot mattresses? What about the risks of drawstrings?Alan Ross Consulting has years of experience in evaluating such products and providing customers with valuable guidance in this field.
Cot Quilts & Baby Sleeping Bags
Alan Ross Consulting was involved with the Baby Product Association during the development of their Codes of Practice on 'Cot Quilts' and ' Baby Sleeping Bags' and especially in providing guidance relating to the thermal performance of these products. With the increased profile of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), it is ever more essential that parents purchasing such articles understand the meaning of 'TOG' and how this relates to the wellbeing of their child. With over 20 years experience in thermal testing of textile materials including quilts and padded items. Alan Ross Consulting can help you develop and evaluate your product range.
Hot Water Bottles & thermal products
Rubber hot water bottles are becoming passé ... in today's society a raft of new products have taken their place. From grain filled bags which can be heated in the microwave or cooled in the freezer to reusable exothermic gel packs ... the end-uses remain the same. Whilst rubber hot water bottles must comply with BS 1970, alternative products have no related performance or safety specifications. According to the Home Accident Surveillance System over 1100 people are injured and require hospital treatment for burns every year. We have developed a series of safety tests to evaluate the safety and performance of these products and to help assess the risks and hazards associated with such products
Cigarette lighters / Safety Matches
Spitting, sputtering, unstable flames, ejecting parts when hot ... all symptoms of potentially dangerous lighters! Add to that lighters in designs and shapes which are child appealing and you have the potential for disaster. More than 200 children require hospital treatment every year for injuries suffered by playing with cigarette lighters and this does not include the enormous cost and distress caused by fires in the home started by cigarette lighters.
Breaking matches, non-striking matches, burning debris thrown from the match when struck ... yet another recipe for disaster!
Alan Ross Consulting can help you ensure that your products meet the relevant safety and performance specifications.
Burn time, dripping characteristics, product safety, thermal characteristics of candle holders and oil burners, investigation of reported accidents, expert witness ... we have helped provide advice and expert evidence in many personal injury claims over the last few years.
Football (& rugby & hockey) goalpost safety
Over 250 people are injured and require hospital treatment every year as a direct result of football goals overturning or crossbars collapsing. Worse still there have been several well publicised deaths in recent years. Two thirds of all such injuries occur within the education and leisure sectors.
December 2005 saw the publication of BS8461 and BS8462 on small sided goals for football, replacing PAS36 Parts 1 and 2. EN748 applies to goals for 11-a-side football and EN749 applies to hockey goals. In October 2007, Ireland introduced standards IS356 and IS357 which not only include requirements for soccer goalposts but for the first time safety requirements for gaelic and rugby posts. Alan Ross Consulting was involved in the development of these standards and can help you with type approval testing and also in-situ testing of goalposts.
In a joint venture with Centre for Sports Technology Alan Ross Consulting has launched 'GoalTesters' - an organisation whose sole remit is to provide independent testing and evaluation of the safety of goalposts for football, rugby and hockey. From a small private club to local authorities with responsibility for hundreds of pitches, GoalTesters can provide a nationwide inspection and testing service. GoalTesters is working with the Football Association to improve safety standards, eliminate dangerous goalposts from our schools, parks and playing fields. In addition, the Football Foundation has made £3.75m available towards replacing dangerous goalposts ... you could be eligible for a grant of up to 50% of the cost of replacing your goalposts! Click here for more information
© Alan Ross Consulting 2005