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This afternoon, CPSC Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric gave remarks to the annual conference of the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO). As many of our readers know, the Senate confirmed Mr. Hoehn-Saric on October 7, 2021 to a six-year term. This was Hoehn-Saric’s first year addressing the annual ICPHSO conference.

Notably, Chairman Hoehn-Saric picked up right where then-Acting Chairman Robert Adler left off at the 2021 annual conference—the need for the agency to approach product safety from a variety of diverse viewpoints. The Chairman cited startling statistics concerning the significantly higher rates at which African Americans drown in swimming pools and minorities suffer from CO exposure from portable generators than their White counterparts. The Chairman stated that targeting underserved, often minority, communities would be a priority for the Commission in the months and years ahead.
Continue Reading Live from ICPHSO – New CPSC Chairman Hoehn-Saric Addresses Annual Conference

Here’s a brief review of key developments concerning the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) from last month. We look forward to seeing many friends at the Annual Meeting and Training Symposium of ICPHSO in two weeks. For those who are unable to make the conference, our team plans to share daily insights so stay tuned for more important product safety updates!

Decisional Meeting on Clothing Storage Units Addresses “Tip-Over” Issue. On January 19, the CPSC adopted, by a 4-0 vote, staff’s recommendation to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Clothing Storage Units (CSUs) to address the “tip-over” issue. Notably, the Commission adopted two amendments to the proposed rule, both offered by Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr.

The first amendment pertained to the rule’s stockpiling provision. The rule presented by staff “prohibited manufacturers and importers of CSUs from manufacturing or importing CSUs that do not comply with the requirements of the proposed rule in any 12-month period between the date a rule is promulgated and the effective date of the rule at a rate that is greater than 120 percent of the rate at which they manufactured or imported CSUs during the base period for the manufacturer.” Trumka’s amendment defines the “base period” as one month out of the last 13 months with the median import or manufacture volume, and changes the percentage increase that is allowed under that base period from 120% to 105% in each month between the final rule and the effective date. It is intended to reduce the risk of stockpiling products. The Commission adopted the amendment by a vote of 4-0.
Continue Reading CPSC Insights – January 2022

Acting Chair Ann Marie Buerkle
Acting Chair Ann Marie Buerkle

This past Wednesday, in her first public remarks as Acting Chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Ann Marie Buerkle announced her top three priorities. As our readers know from our previous post, on February 9, then Commissioner Buerkle became Acting Chair of the CPSC after Commissioner Elliot Kaye stepped down as Chairman. Speaking to the annual conference of the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO), Acting Chair Buerkle announced that her top three priorities include: (1) collaborating with all product safety stakeholders; (2) taking a balanced and reasonable approach to regulation; and (3) expanding product safety education and awareness for consumers.

The overarching theme of Chairman Buerkle’s remarks could not have been more clear: the core mission of product safety does not change with respect to who is in the White House—the focus needs to remain on safety, data, and science, and, to further that mission, all product safety stakeholders should remove their stereotypes of different groups within the community and work collaboratively and creatively to further a common goal.

To that end, Chairman Buerkle stated that she will continue to approach product safety as she has done since taking her seat on the Commission in 2013 in order to further the agency’s mission—she will strive for good governance, build relationships across the safety community, take advantage of available data and science, and rely upon the expertise available inside and outside of the Commission.

Acting Chair Buerkle’s top three priorities include:
Continue Reading CPSC Acting Chair Buerkle Announces Top Priorities at Product Safety Conference

The responsibilities of retailers for safety and health issues that arise in the supply chain became a recurring topic of discussion at the 20th annual International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO) meeting and training symposium held on February 26-March 1, 2013, just outside Washington, D.C. Representatives from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission), consumer product retailers, and others spoke about retailers’ past and future involvement with the Commission’s efforts to protect consumers from unsafe products.

In recent years, retailers have become involved in an increasing number of recalls of products for which they are not the manufacturer. The Commission typically prefers to work with manufacturers  – as compared to retailers or others in the supply chain – to implement recalls for several reasons: (1) manufacturers usually have a superior knowledge about the product and supply chain; (2) they are usually in the best position to offer an appropriate remedy or fix; and (3) it is more efficient to deal with one manufacturer as opposed to multiple retailers. Retailers, however, have become useful allies of the Commission, and the CPSC does not hesitate to approach retailers when necessary. CPSC Commissioner Robert Adler explained that the Commission usually contacts retailers about recalls when a manufacturer has gone out of business or has chosen not to cooperate with the CPSC. Staff spoke about retailers’ unique ability to apply pressure to noncompliant manufacturers as well as to get word out to consumers about unsafe products. CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum thanked retailers for their continued cooperation in conducting voluntary recalls during her keynote address at the annual meeting. Continue Reading Focus On Retailers At ICPHSO 2013