Production of articles, parts and other equipment that does not correspond in quality to standards, technical specifications and other technical norms. Irreparable rejects are articles whose defects are technically impossible or economically disadvantageous to eliminate.
Faulty manufactured goods cause accidents in the home and workplace. Manufacturers who wish to improve product quality cannot do so without risking competitiveness in the marketplace. This is especially difficult because manufacturing costs are already rising to meet the price of insuring against customers' lawsuits.
According to the OECD, Australia has the world's most exhaustive mechanisms for product ban and recall. Nevertheless, some 25 children per 100,000 population die annually from injuries or poisonings and about 2500 per 100,000 are admitted to hospital from these causes. Home leisure and consumer product-related injuries alone account for at least 30% of all accidents and 20% of handicaps.