NEW! PRODUCT SAFETY DATABASE TO LAUNCH IN 2011

January 1, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces it will launch a publicly available consumer database for reporting product safety problems—and looking up products’ safety records. The database will be available at the website www.saferproducts.gov starting in March. Already, the website has info online on current recalls (such as currently posted warnings on children’s toys, chain saws, snow blowers and more).

The new database rule was approved by a 3-2 vote and will be published in the Federal Register, also establishing how CPSC will work with consumers and manufacturers or private labelers to process and post incident reports on the database. Required by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the database will allow consumers to go online to SaferProducts.gov and file a report telling CPSC about an incident with an unsafe product or potentially hazardous consumer product.

Manufacturers and private labelers will have the opportunity to respond with comments and may request that their comments appear with the report in the database. CPSC will make all of this information visible and searchable online by the public.

Beginning in mid-January 2011, all manufacturers or private labelers of consumer products will be encouraged to pre-register with CPSC to receive timely online access to reports submitted about their products.

At SaferProducts.gov, anyone will be able to search for reports submitted about consumer products along with any comments the manufacturer requests be included. Whether considering a purchase or checking on products already owned, the database is intended to provide consumers information on the products they buy, which can contribute to keeping them and their families safer.

To see this release on CPSC's web site, including links to Commissioners' statements, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml11/11075.html

You can also get info on products that are recalled by calling the CPSC Recall Hotline at (800)638-2777.