WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) renewed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Brazil to improve product safety.
Chairman Inez Tenenbaum traveled to Brazil June 10 to renew the MOU between CPSC and the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (Inmetro). The agencies first established an MOU between the United States and Brazil in 2008.
The two agencies have agreed on a plan of work with joint activities designed to foster cooperation to promote consumer product safety in both countries. The signing ceremony took place at Inmetro's Laboratory Campus in Xerém, Rio de Janeiro.
In addition to enhancing information sharing, CPSC and Inmetro will work collaboratively to align product safety requirements whenever possible. A first step in this initiative is to consider the possibility of aligning crib safety requirements. Inmetro intends to work closely with the CPSC to evaluate samples according to the requirements defined in U.S. and Brazilian regulations.
"Brazil continues to be an important partner as we work to ensure safer products," stated Chairman Tenenbaum. "We will share expertise and experiences and expand the flow of information and activities. Together, we will look for the highest levels of safety; we will be proactive, rather than reactive; and we will operate with a renewed focus on injury prevention."
"Further, we will foster cooperative relationships with other regulators, foreign manufacturers and stakeholders, based upon a shared belief that manufacturers should build products to the latest safety standards and regulators should continue to collaborate on the best and safest standards. Together, the CPSC and Inmetro can save lives and reduce injuries," Tenenbaum said.
According to Inmetro's President João Jornada: "Closer collaboration between the two countries is very important. The focus of our work is to protect human beings, and humanity is one, anywhere in the world. This step helps consolidate Inmetro's international outreach. We will count on support from the CPSC, which has state-of-the-art technology to collect, monitor and interpret injury data from a variety of sources. The CPSC is a leader in taking action to educate stakeholders and disseminate technical regulations. They have a success story. Working with the CPSC we will improve our system."
The text of Chairman Tenenbaum's speech and the MOU and Joint Statement issued by the two agencies are available online. (both PDF)
Inmetro President João Jornada welcomes CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum at Xerém campus
in Rio de Janeiro. The two renewed a memorandum of understanding between the two agencies.
Tenenbaum and Jornada sign the memorandum of understanding. The U.S. and Brazil
have partnered to enhance consumer product safety in both countries since 2008.
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.