MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will come out with guidelines for suppliers on consumer product recall to reduce risks caused by unsafe products in the marketplace.

The Draft Philippine National Standard International Organization for Standardization (DPNS ISO) 10393:2017 on consumer product recall seeks to provide practical guidance to suppliers on consumer product recalls and other corrective actions after the product has left the manufacturing facility, the DTI said.

Other corrective actions cited by the agency include refunds, retrofit, repair, replacement, disposal and public notification.

“It provides information and other tools that suppliers can use in developing a documented and validated product recall program to help them implement timely and cost-effective recalls, minimize legal and reputation risks, and reduce health and safety risks to consumers,” the DTI said.

With a product recall program seen as a key element of the supplier’s overall product safety program, suppliers are urged to demonstrate their commitment to consumer product safety by adhering to the principles of the upcoming guidelines.

The principles include developing and maintaining appropriate processes and systems to prevent product-related incidents that could lead to a recall, including addressing product safety risks at the design stage and allocating appropriate resources for quality management, training, records management and product traceability.

It also include a commitment to the prompt and effective implementation of a product recall when it is assessed that a product is likely to pose a health or safety risk to consumers, as well as promoting a product safety culture by building awareness of the importance of product safety and establishing and maintaining compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

The DTI’s Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), which has sought for stakeholder comments on the DPNS ISO 10393:2017, will endorse it for approval and promulgation to the DTI secretary.

The BPS, which is a member to the ISO and the International Electrotechnical Commission, serves as the national standards body of the Philippines.