The Consumer Product Safety Commission has the responsibility of ensuring that unsafe products are taken off the market and that consumers are notified about recent recalls to avoid the risk of injury or death. In 2008, the president passed a product-safety legislation that would overhaul the CPSC. One of the major changes that came from the legislation required that the CPSC create the first comprehensive publicly accessible consumer complaint database. Read below to learn more about accessing the database and more resources that CPSC has to offer the public.
Report Products
A searchable database of incident reports is accessible for public consumer use at SaferProducts.gov. Through this website, consumers can search or report products for prior incidents/recalls. Manufacturers will receive a copy of the report and be given an opportunity to comment. Report issues with unsafe products to SaferProducts.gov
Recalls
Go to https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls to find all recalls of consumer products in the United States. CPSC recall reports will provide you with information on how to proceed if you have a recalled item in your possession. Use the search function to search for a particular product or company, and sign up for the CPSC’s recall alerts.
News
Visit CPSC’s Newsroom to stay up-to-date on developments involving consumer product safety. Search through their archives.
Consumer Ombudsman
The CPSC’s Consumer Ombudsman helps consumers learn how the CPSC works. Contact the Ombudsman if you want to discuss a particular product safety issue, learn about CPSC’s procedures or technical information, how to get involved in the standards setting process, or how consumers can play a role with the CPSC.
Safety Education
This section of the CPSC’s website offers safety education on anything from pool safety to carbon monoxide. Here you can explore a variety of safety guides from CPSC. Check out their Crib Resources to learn more about Safe Sleep, as well as their guides on “Kids and Babies”, “Playgrounds”, “Toys”, “Window Covering Cords”, “Button Batteries”, “Containers and Packaging” and more. Though the listed guides relate the most directly to children, all of the resources are important for building a sound understanding of creating a safe environment for your child.
Business Education
Do you manufacture children’s products? Visit the CPSC’s Business Education section for resources about product regulations, product testing, product labels, and other best practices in manufacturing for safety.
Research Reports and Statistics
The CPSC uses data from sources such as consumers, hospitals, and manufacturers to develop reports and statistics on product-related injuries across the nation. Click here to explore their reports.
Regulations, Laws, and Standards
To read more about the laws and policies that guide product recalls visit the Regulations, Laws, and Standards page of the CPSC website. Here you can also learn more about how your comments can influence the Commission’s rulemaking for safer products.
Additional Questions about CPSC?
PFWBS has many years of experience both finding information at CPSC.gov and working with the CPSC in a variety of ways. Contact us and we’ll see if we can help.