Product Safety
Whirlpool Corporation maintains a comprehensive product safety system designed for prevention and focused on identifying, evaluating and mitigating potential hazards that could impact consumer safety.
Key elements of the system include:
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Design and Testing
New products launched for sale to consumers are evaluated in the company’s own engineering test laboratories against internal and external safety standards. All new products are tested and certified by a third-party laboratory.
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Oversight and Training
To help employees across functional areas meet expectations for product safety, we offer various training and competency programs. In our product development functions, we require each employee to achieve a targeted level of tools and methods proficiency, based on their level in the organization. In our manufacturing function, Whirlpool employees are trained on the importance of process control and critical parameter management to promote the highest standards of quality and product safety.
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Independent Audit Program
Whirlpool maintains an established, independent audit program dedicated to validating our product safety operations. This continuous program provides a vital review of our systems, fostering disciplined execution and identifying necessary corrective actions with fresh eyes.
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Monitoring
We have established procedures for monitoring consumer complaints that could indicate a potential product safety risk. Whirlpool publicly discloses any recalls we choose to initiate, with procedures in place to manage recall operations and crisis management.
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Industry Collaboration
The company participates in industry technical committees to elevate external safety standards that protect consumers and advance product safety across the industry.