A Guide to the Consumer Product Safety Commission
What is the Consumer Product Safety Commission?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was created in 1972 through the passing of the Consumer Product Safety Act. The primary responsibility of the Consumer Product Safety Commission is to protect the American consumer against “unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer products.”
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent agency that does not report to any department or agency of the federal government. That being said, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is typically run by three commissioners who are each nominated by the President of the Untied States and subsequently confirmed by the Senate for staggered seven year terms.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has the authority to regulate the sale and manufacture of nearly 16,000 consumer products. Those products not under the jurisdiction of the Consumer Product Safety Commission include those specifically named by law of other federal agencies; for example, cars are regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, guns are regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and drugs are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission fulfills its complex mission by banning dangerous consumer products, instituting recalls of products that already hit the market and researching potential hazards associated with consumer products.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission conducts its research to reveal potential hazards associated with consumer products in a variety of ways, including maintaining a 24-horu customer support center and consumer hot line where consumers may report concerns about unsafe products or injuries associated with consumer items.
When the Consumer Product Safety Commission was created in 1972, the department maintained a budget of approximately $34.7 million dollars. At this time, the agency operated with roughly 800 employees. In present times, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has just 400 employees and an operating budget of $43 million. That being said, the passing of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which was passed in 2008, will increase the agency’s funding to $136.4 million and add over 500 employees to the organization by 2014.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Quick Facts
The following details outline the administration of the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
The Consumer Product Safety Commission was founded in 1972
The Consumer Product Safety Commission currently operates with roughly 500 employees
The headquarters of the Consumer Product Safety Commission are located in Bethesda, Maryland
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is responsible for the jurisdiction over nearly 16,000 consumer products in the United States
The head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission is Agency Chairman Inez Moore
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