On March 11, 2011, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the availability of the SaferProducts.gov database mandated by Congress, as part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. CPSC encourages consumers to visit www.SaferProducts.gov to submit reports of harm or risks of harm, and to search for safety information on products they own or may be considering buying. According to CPSC, reporting product safety incidents through the site will help CPSC identify product hazards quicker and provide consumers with safety information on products in and around the home.
CPSC will review all reports submitted online, and, within five business days, transmit qualifying reports to the manufacturer. The manufacturer will then have ten business days to respond and provide comments and/or claims. At the end of the ten-day period, if all requirements are met, CPSC will post the report and the manufacturer’s comments on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC cautions consumers to provide “information that is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge.” CPSC will not publish reports lacking required information. CPSC will post reports that contain the minimum required information in the database ten business days after the CPSC sends a copy of the report to the manufacturer, or, according to CPSC, “approximately 15 business days after [the reports] are submitted to the CPSC.”
Since CPSC initiated a soft launch of SaferProducts.gov in January, consumers have filed about 1,500 reports, and approximately 1,400 manufacturers have registered on the Business Portal, so they can receive a copy of a report about their product in a timely manner via e-mail. CPSC “strongly urges all businesses” to register online. CPSC lists the following benefits of registration:
- All reports of harm involving your company’s product sent to your representative quickly and securely via e-mail;
- Convenient and secure online account to provide your comments for CPSC’s consideration and receive official CPSC correspondence;
- Multiple user accounts for registered companies; and
- Saves time as we work together to meet the ten-day deadline imposed by law before the report of harm is posted in the publicly available database.
The SaferProducts.gov website includes frequently asked questions (FAQ) concerning reports and for consumers and businesses. The business FAQs address comments; registration; reports; confidentiality; accuracy; and self reporting. The FAQs are available online.