More on PPAI's New Product Safety Requirement for Trade Show Exhibitors, Advertisers

On Jan. 13, 2014, Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) announced a new requirement for any company exhibiting at its trade shows or otherwise promoting itself through the organization. Now, in order to promote itself through PPAI's channels, a business will have to designate one employee as a "product safety ambassador." This employee will will have to complete a minimum of four hours of product safety education every two years in order for the business to use PPAI's services to market itself. The initiative has been named the Product Safety Awareness Program.

The requirement is not for all PPAI members, nor is it only for suppliers or any other specific party. It is only for companies promoting themselves through PPAI's channels, meaning anyone who exhibits at PPAI shows or advertises within its products, such as PPB magazine. This means that some distributors, such as an affiliate network advertising in PPB magazine, or news outlets/service providers, such as Promo Marketing, who exhibit at PPAI trade shows, would also need to meet these requirements.

"The watchwords we're using around this program are commitment, culture and confidence," said Paul Bellantone, president and CEO of PPAI. "It's a commitment on the part of the association and a commitment on the part of the membership to build a culture that makes it so that, whether it's a supplier talking to a distributor, or a distributor talking to a supplier, or any of us talking to a buyer, that there's confidence that our products are compliant," he said. "I want people to know that we're more effective than buying an ad, but I also want them to know we're as compliant as buying an ad. No one worries about the compliance of an ad. I don't want anyone worrying about our products' compliance."

There are three required courses and several different elective courses that can be used to fill the product safety requirement, viewable on the official PPAI FAQ here. These classes are offered at PPAI's trade shows and some of its other events, such as its product safety conference. Its regional associations (SAAC, SAAGNY, etc.) will also be offering classes at regional shows. Free webinars will also be an option for meeting the requirement. There is no cost for these classes, beyond what would normally be paid to attend the show or safety conference, and there are several ways companies can be exempt from the requirement entirely, viewable on the program's FAQ page.

The program begins Jan. 13, 2014, at the PPAI Expo. The hard deadline for meeting the safety education requirements will be during Expo East, 2015.

For more information, visit PPAI's Product Safety Awareness Program FAQ. For more information on PPAI, visit www.ppai.org.