The "Handbook & Standard for Manufacturing Safer Consumer Products" was developed by John J. Riordan, an authority on product assurance technology and a consultant to the Commission.
The handbook provides a clear guide for large and small companies seeking to establish procedures that insure the design, production and distribution of safe consumer products.
The handbook covers recommendations for executive action which include a public statement of commitment to product safety and assignment of a product safety manager at the executive level.
Technical recommendations focus on design review, the identification and evaluation of potential hazards, including hazards associated with use and abuse; documentation of any changes in design, materials or production that could affect safety; purchase control to make sure that suppliers are providing safe components; safe production practices; maintenance of records, including those required by law and others that would facilitate product recalls; and product safety audits to determine whether the system is functioning successfully.
According to Commission Chairman Richard 0. Simpson, the handbook will help to answer questions raised often by manufacturers and business people concerned about the safety of their products: "What can I do?" and "How shall I go about it?"
"Implementation of product safety procedures may vary from one company to another," Simpson said. "But product safety must begin with commitment at the highest executive level and become an institutionalized aspect of the entire production process.
"This handbook provides executives with a list of action steps that could assist every company to manufacture safer products and to avoid expensive product recalls."
Single copies are available at no cost from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D-C. 20207. Additional copies may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. 20402, $1.50 per copy, stock number 052-003-00103-9.
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
For lifesaving information:
- Visit CPSC.gov.
- Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts.
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC.
- Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.
- Call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054).
- Contact a media specialist.
Please use the below phone number for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800