WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the signing of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Hong Kong and Australia to improve product safety.
The vision for improvements in the safety of consumer products extends from Asia to Australia to America. The MOUs with Australia and Hong Kong put formal structures into place for information sharing about recalled products, consumer product regulations, product testing requirements and product safety campaigns. The MOUs also allow regulators to work more easily toward compatible product safety standards.
CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum signed both MOUs with product safety regulators during visits to Hong Kong and Sydney to discuss the need for global improvements in consumer product safety. Chairman Tenenbaum and Richard Yuen, Hong Kong's Customs and Excise Commissioner signed the MOU between the U.S. and Hong Kong (pdf). Chairman Tenenbaum and Graeme Samuel, Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, signed the MOU between the U.S. and Australia (pdf).
CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum signs MOU with Hong Kong’s Custom and Excise Commissioner Richard Yuen
CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum reviews the MOU with ACCC Deputy Chair Peter Kell
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.