Consumer Product Safety Commission OISM 470W February 10th , 2001

Consumer Product Safety Commission Consumer Prod. Safety Act Federal Hazardous Substances Act Poison Prevention Packaging Act Flammable Act Reporting Requirements Refrigerator Act Exercise I’ll talk about the different consumer safety Acts and how they go about protecting the public from unsafe products. http://www.cpsc.gov/

Consumer Product Safety Commission Purpose of CPSC The CPSC is an independent Federal regulatory agency that helps keep American families safe by reducing the risk of injury or death from consumer products. One of CPSC's most important jobs is to enforce consumer product safety laws. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/general.html

Purposes of the commission under the CSPA are: To protect the public against unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products. To assist consumers in evaluating the comparative safety of consumer products. To develop uniform safety standards for consumer products and to minimize conflicting State and local regulations. To promote research and investigation into the causes and prevention of product- related deaths, illnesses, and injuries. They do all these by: www.frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cg…1000&SECTION=1&YEAR=2000&TYPE=TEXT

continued Developing voluntary standards with industry Obtaining the recall of products or arranging for their repair Conducting research on potential product hazards Issuing and enforcing mandatory standards; banning consumer products if no feasible standard would adequately protect the public http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/103.html To request a free copy of our publication listing, write to us at U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207

Definition(Consumer Product Safety Act) The CPSA, enacted in 1972, is CPSC's umbrella statute. It established the agency, defines its basic authority, and provides that when the CPSC finds an unreasonable risk of injury associated with a consumer product it can develop a standard to reduce or eliminate the risk. The CPSA also provides the authority to ban a product if there is no feasible standard, and it gives CPSC authority to pursue recalls for products that present a substantial product hazard\ http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/cpsa.html

Federal Hazardous Substances Act Definition Penalties http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/fhsa.html

Definition (FHSA) The Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA), requires that certain hazardous household products ("hazardous substances") bear cautionary labeling to alert consumers to the potential hazards that those products present and to inform them of the measures they need to protect themselves from those hazards http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/fhsa.html Include: Any product that is toxic, corrosive, flammable or combustible, an irritant, a strong sensitizer, or that generates pressure through decomposition, heat, or other means requires labeling, if the product may cause substantial personal injury or substantial illness during or as a proximate result of any customary or reasonable foreseeable handling or use, including reasonable foreseeable ingestion by children.

Penalties (FHSA) Any person who violates any of the provisions shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall on conviction thereof be subject to a fine of not more than $500 or to imprisonment for not more than ninety days, or both. Organizations -- Not more than $10,000. Individuals -- Not more than $5,000. Offenses committed with intent to defraud or mislead or for second and subsequent offenses, the penalty shall be imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than $3,000, or both such imprisonment and fine. Organizations: Not more than $200,000 if the offense does not result in death. Not more than $500,000 if the offense results in death. Individuals: Not more than $100,000 if the offense does not result in death. Not more than $250,000 if the offense results in death. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/fhsatext.html#sec5

Poison Prevention Packaging Act What is it? http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/pppa.html

PPPA definition Enacted in 1970, the PPPA requires a number of household substances to be packaged in child-resistant packaging. The packaging required by the PPPA must be designed or constructed to be significantly difficult for children under five years of age to open within a reasonable time, and not difficult for normal adults to use properly. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/pppa.html Example will be prescription drugs top.

Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) Definition Penalties http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/ffa.html

Definition FFA The Flammable Fabrics Act, was passed in 1953 to regulate the manufacture of highly flammable clothing, such as brushed rayon sweaters and children's cowboy chaps. The Flammable Fabrics Act of 1953 originally placed enforcement authority with the Federal Trade Commission. In 1967, Congress amended the Flammable Fabrics Act to expand its coverage to include interior furnishings as well as paper, plastic, foam and other materials used in wearing apparel and interior furnishings. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/ffa.html

Penalties Any person who willfully violates this Act, or who fails to comply with it, will be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $5,000 or be imprisoned not more than one year or both in the discretion of the court: Provided, That nothing herein shall limit other provisions of this Act. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/ffatext.html#sec7

Penalties cont. Organizations: Not more than $200,000 if the offense does not result in death. Not more than $500,000 if the offense results in death. Individuals: Not more than $100,000 if the offense does not result in death. Not more than $250,000 if the offense results in death. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/ffatext.html#sec7

Refrigerator Safety Act What is it? Penalties http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/rsa.html

What is it? The Refrigerator Safety Act, was enacted in 1956. The Act's regulations which became effective October 30, 1958 require a mechanism (usually a magnetic latch) which enables the door to be opened from the inside in the event of accidental entrapment. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/rsa.html This type of latch, therefore, makes the hazardous refrigerators manufactured before that date easy to identify. The serious entrapment hazard occurs when children, during play, climb inside the old abandoned or carelessly stored refrigerators to hide. Many of these refrigerators are still in use, and when they are carelessly discarded or stored where they are accessible to children, they become a danger.

Penalties Any person who violates this Act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both. Organizations: Not more than $200,000 if the offense does not result in death. Not more than $500,000 if the offense results in death. Individuals: Not more than $100,000 if the offense does not result in death. Not more than $250,000 if the offense results in death http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/rsatext.html

Reporting Requirements For most firms, there are two reporting requirements: Dangerous products Lawsuits http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/unreg.html

Dangerous products Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers are required to report to CPSC within 24 hrs. of getting information that a product does not comply with a safety rule, or contains a defect with could create a substantial risk of injury to the public or present a risk of serious injury or death. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/unreg.html

Lawsuits Manufacturers of a consumer product are also required to report information about settled or adjudicated lawsuits to CPSC under section 38(b) of the CPSA. http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/unreg.html

Exercise 1 Which of the following is cover under the jurisdiction of the CPSC? A: Cereal B: Egg products C: Gun locks D: Cosmetics Answers: c

Exercise 2 True or False? The CPSC have jurisdiction on all U.S. manufactured products. Answer: False

Exercise 3 True or False? Dr. S. Tom Foster has been chosen to serve on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award committee 3 times. Answer: False-2 times

Summary The Consumer Product Safety Commission plays a very critical role in our society. With the passing of: The Flammable Fabrics Act to regulate the manufacturer of highly flammable clothing, such as brushed rayon sweaters and children’s cowboy champs. The Poison Prevention Packaging Act, which requires a number of household substances to be package in child-resistant packaging to ensure children's safety. The Federal Hazardous Substances Act, which requires certain hazardous household products bear cautionary labeling to alert consumers of potential hazard of that product. The Consumer Product Safety Act, which provide bans on products that do not meet the CPSC requirements. The Consumer Product Safety Commission helps keep our society save from bad products entering our markets.

Summary cont. The Refrigerator Safety Act, requires all refrigerator to have a magnetic latch which will enable the door to be open from the inside in the event of accidental entrapment

Bibliography http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/notcpsc.html http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/fhsatext.html#sec5 http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/fhsa.html http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/pppa.html http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/103.html http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/ffa.html http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/ffatext.html#sec7 http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/rsa.html http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/rsatext.html http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/unreg.html These are the links to where I got all the information.