A Crisis Waiting to Xploderz

Don’t turn a blind eye to safety

One of the most powerful (and overlooked) aspects of crisis management is the ability to come in and spot “crises waiting to happen.” Often they are things that could result in minor lawsuits, ie. slippery spots in restaurants, but sometimes problems are so glaring that even an outsider can spot the danger immediately.

“Xploderz,” manufactured by The Maya Group, look like the lovechild of a supersoaker and a paintball gun, firing small capsules of superabsorbent polymers, basically a semisoft gel, that break apart upon impact with a hard surface. Sounds fun, right?

Here’s the problem – although Xploderz are meant to be fired at one another, not one image on the website or promotional video shows players wearing protective gear, and not one word recommends it.

The Xploderz safety “mission statement” as published on their website:

Safety is our top priority. All of our products have undergone rigorous testing to ensure their safety. Contracting with the recognized leader in toy safety testing we have met all US federal safety standards for toy safety. In addition we have gone beyond mandatory requirements in our packaging and labeling to ensure that our products are used safely by consumers. Our Customer Service Department is fully trained and available to answer all your concerns and questions.

Just below that is the FAQ, which includes this question and answer:

Can the Ammo hurt or injure someone?

No.  The ammo might sting but it will not cause injuries. Still, you should not fire your weapon at someone’s face or eyes. If it hits a hard surface it will normally break apart on impact, breaking down into a soft gel.

Both of your writing team here are former competitive paintball players and can tell you first hand the struggles that industry fought in order to make parents believe that it was safe to play; at the very center of that battle was adequate protection for the face and eyes. There is no way you will ever convince us an object that “if it hits a hard surface it will normally break apart on impact,” is safe enough to be fired at one another with no protection at all.

The second someone loses an eye, the statement that “we have gone beyond mandatory requirements in our packaging and labeling to ensure that our products are used safely by consumers” will be mercilessly mocked by the media and dismantled by lawyers because quite simply, it’s not true. Nowhere on the site or the product packaging does it suggest eye protection, which is priority #1 in safety for anything that shoots, well…anything. In fact, there is no nod at all to potential dangers except to say “you should not fire your weapon at someone’s face or eyes.” No player engaged in a game that involves shooting at others while moving can have the aim control that would allow them to avoid hitting the face — making the warnings about it so much hot air.

What can The Maya Group do to stop this “crisis waiting to happen?” It’s very simple – goggles. Include an inexpensive pair of goggles with every single Xploder sold, two with the dual sets, and change both packaging and the website to expressly forbid playing without the proper eye protection. Problem solved, industry improved, and potential multi-million dollar lawsuit averted.

The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/