The Consumer Product Safety Commission: Standing Between American Consumers and Dangerous Products

Recently, the MLN Law blog brought you a post about several important product recalls. But have you ever stepped back to think about who is behind these recalls? The answer is, The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC is “charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products.” In less dire terms, the CPSC is responsible for making sure that items that can pose fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazards or can injure children are taken off the market and removed from our homes. And they’re doing a great job. It is estimated that the CPSC contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

For the safety conscious consumer, the CPSC’s website is an excellent one stop shop for product recall information. From the site, you can search for the safety and track record of items from amusement park rides to vinyl lunch boxes. This is handy if there is ever a question of a recall on a product you own. You can search the site by date of recall, company, product type, product description or hazard posed.

Important items to check out with the CPSC include hand-me-down baby items. As explained in this post about childproofing your home, it’s easy for busy new parents to miss a product recall, and then continue to use the same dangerous item for subsequent children.

The CPSC’s website can also be helpful if you are in the market for a new item, especially an item like a child’s crib. Check the site to find items that may have been recently recalled or companies with less than stellar track records when it comes to cribs. Speaking of cribs, the CPSC site also lists standards for safety that manufacturers have to adhere to when it comes to many products.

Perhaps most importantly of all, the CPSC’s website allows average consumers to report dangerous products. After all, as too many recent cases have shown, it is nearly impossible to make sure that every product that makes it out onto the market has been thoroughly tested. This is one way that you, as the consumer, can do your part to help others when you come across a dangerous product. Physicians, attorneys and investigators are also encouraged to file a report with the CPSC when they work on a case dealing with unsafe or potentially dangerous consumer products.

If you have any questions about the safety of a product in your home, it’s always a good idea to check with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Their database of recalls and resources can be a real life saver when it comes to dangerous products.

Have you or someone you love been affected by a faulty product? You may have legal recourse. For a thorough investigation and caring, aggressive representation, call MLN Law at (404) 531-9700 for more information.