The Acting Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that a lease has been signed to expand and modernize the agency’s testing facilities. The new facility, located off the “I-270 Technology Corridor” in Rockville, Md., will enhance CPSC’s efforts to protect the public from dangerous consumer products and brings scientists and engineers together in one testing facility.
The new facility is targeted to open in phases within one year and centralizes in one place CPSC’s engineers, who are currently working in two locations. CPSC’s engineers will join forces there with staff scientists to work as teams of experts on a broad range of products, such as toys, electrical appliances, mattresses and sleepwear.
“I am very pleased to announce the addition of this facility to CPSC’s resources to protect American families,” said Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. “This has been a personal goal to provide 21st century tools for the CPSC. We appreciate very much the funds from Congress to make this significant facility upgrade a reality.”
The new facility will provide additional space for CPSC’s Laboratory and Engineering Sciences Teams to test and evaluate consumer products; support standards development, both voluntary and mandatory; and support compliance, investigatory and recall-related work.
A more modern laboratory and testing facility will enhance CPSC’s ability to detect and respond quickly to product defects or safety violations. This announcement demonstrates CPSC’s ongoing commitment to the safety of children and families and the products used in and around homes across the country.
The new facility will be located at 5 Research Place in Rockville, Md., close to CPSC’s headquarters and public transportation.
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