How do I report a product safety concern?
How do I report a product safety concern?
For urgent safety issues: Call immediately—don't wait for email. For non-urgent concerns, email orders@droppe.com with photos and a description.
What counts as a safety concern?
Safety issues are different from normal defects. They involve risk of injury, non-compliance with EU regulations, or failure of protective equipment.
Urgent safety concerns (call immediately):
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) failure:
- Missing or damaged CE marking on safety gear
- Compromised protective features (cracked helmet, torn safety harness)
- Respirator or eye protection that doesn't seal properly
- Safety shoes with exposed steel toe or punctured sole
Electrical hazards:
- Exposed wiring or broken insulation
- Electric shock from tools or equipment
- Burning smell or overheating
Chemical exposure:
- Torn chemical-resistant gloves or clothing
- Missing Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
- Strong chemical odors or leaking containers
Structural failure:
- Ladders, scaffolding, or lifting equipment with cracks or bends
- Load-bearing equipment that fails under rated capacity
Non-urgent safety concerns (email):
Labeling issues:
- Missing safety warnings or instructions in your language
- Unclear pictograms or usage instructions
- Wrong product specifications listed
Compliance questions:
- Product missing expected EU certification marks
- Uncertainty about whether item meets local safety standards
- Questions about product liability or insurance coverage
Quality concerns that could become safety issues:
- Workwear with deteriorating reflective strips
- Stitching that's starting to fail on safety harnesses
- Soles separating on safety boots (before full failure)
Who to contact (by urgency)
Immediate danger (call now):
Germany/AT/NL/BE/IT: +49 15735984668
Finland: +358 45 4909908
Sweden: +46 76 692 47 11
What to say: "I have a safety concern with [product type]." Explain the issue briefly. We'll escalate immediately.
We'll do: Stop sales of the product, contact the brand, coordinate inspection or replacement, and report to authorities if required.
Non-urgent concerns (email):
Email: orders@droppe.com
Subject line: "Safety Concern: [Product Name]"
Include:
- Order number and product details
- Photos showing the safety issue
- Description of the concern and why it's safety-related
- Whether you've used the product yet
Response time: Within 1 business day for safety concerns (faster than normal support requests).
What happens after you report?
Step 1: Immediate assessment (same day)
We review your report and determine severity:
- Critical: Product poses immediate danger → halt sales, escalate to brand and authorities
- Moderate: Potential safety issue → investigate with brand, may pull product pending review
- Low: Compliance question or quality concern → coordinate with brand for clarification
Step 2: Brand coordination (1-3 days)
We contact the brand to:
- Verify the issue
- Check if it affects other units (batch problem vs isolated incident)
- Determine root cause (manufacturing defect, shipping damage, design flaw)
Transparency: We tell brands exactly what you reported. We don't soften safety concerns to protect relationships.
Step 3: Resolution (varies by severity)
For critical safety issues:
- Immediate replacement with confirmed-safe product
- Refund if replacement isn't safe or available
- Product recall if issue affects multiple units
- Authority notification (required by EU Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC)
For moderate concerns:
- Inspection by brand (they may request product return)
- Technical assessment against EU safety standards
- Corrective action (redesign, relabeling, or product withdrawal)
For compliance questions:
- Documentation provided (CE certificates, test reports)
- Clarification if confusion is due to labeling or product description
- Updates to product listing if information was incomplete
What we think is fair
Safety comes first, always. We'd rather pull a profitable product than risk someone getting hurt.
No blame for reporting. You're not "overreacting" by raising safety concerns. Better to report something that turns out fine than ignore something dangerous.
Fast action over bureaucracy. If there's reasonable doubt about safety, we act immediately and investigate later. We don't wait for conclusive proof before protecting workers.
EU safety regulations we follow
All products on Droppe must comply with:
General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC):
- Producers must ensure products are safe before sale
- Immediate notification if dangerous products are discovered
- Authorities can order recalls or market withdrawal
Personal Protective Equipment Regulation ((EU) 2016/425):
- PPE must undergo conformity assessment by notified bodies
- CE marking required on all PPE sold in EU
- Manufacturers must provide Declaration of Conformity and Instructions for Use
Product Liability Directive (85/374/EEC):
- Producers liable for damage caused by defective products
- Includes injury, death, or property damage
- Consumers don't need to prove negligence—only the defect and resulting harm
Brand responsibilities vs Droppe's role
Brands are responsible for:
- Ensuring products meet EU safety standards before listing
- Obtaining required certifications (CE marking, test reports)
- Providing Instructions for Use (IFU) in local languages
- Immediately addressing safety issues when discovered
- Covering costs of recalls, replacements, or corrective actions
Droppe's role:
- Administrative verification of certifications during onboarding
- Fast escalation when safety concerns are reported
- Coordination between buyers and brands
- Notification to authorities when legally required
- Removing unsafe products from marketplace
We don't: Perform technical compliance testing or certify products ourselves. Brands handle that—we verify documentation exists.
What if a product is recalled?
How you'll be notified:
- Email to your order address
- Urgent phone call for serious hazards
- Notice on product page (if still listed)
Your options:
- Return for full refund (free return shipping, no inspection required)
- Replacement with corrected version (if brand has fixed the issue)
- Keep product (if recall is precautionary and you choose to retain it)
Timeline: We notify affected customers within 24 hours of confirming a recall.
Examples of safety concerns we've handled
PPE with compromised certification: Worker noticed CE marking was printed (not embossed) on safety gloves. Investigation revealed counterfeit products. We pulled all units, refunded customers, and terminated brand relationship.
Reflective strips failing early: Multiple customers reported reflective elements deteriorating after few washes (much faster than expected). Brand recalled batch, updated manufacturing process, and provided improved replacements.
Missing MSDS for chemical-resistant gloves: Buyer needed Material Safety Data Sheet for compliance audit. Brand provided immediately + we updated listing to include MSDS download link.
Mislabeled safety boots: Product listed as S3 safety rating (water-resistant) but arrived with S1 marking (not water-resistant). Brand error—we offered refund or correct S3 model.
Our philosophy on safety reporting
We'd rather hear about 100 false alarms than miss 1 real danger. Report anything that doesn't feel right.
No cost to you for safety concerns. Return shipping, replacements, and inspections are free for safety issues—even if the concern turns out to be unfounded.
Transparency after resolution. If we discover a safety issue affected multiple customers, we'll let you know what we found and what we did about it.
Questions or urgent safety issues?
Immediate danger: Call—don't wait for email response.
Non-urgent: Email orders@droppe.com with "Safety Concern" in subject line.
Follow-up: If you don't hear back within 1 business day, call us.
Safety is too important for delays. If you feel ignored, escalate. We'll always listen.
Related articles:
- Are all products safety certified?
- What should I do if I receive a defective item?
- Where can I find product certifications?
Updated on: 06/11/2025
Thank you!