CPSC Discusses Accountability, Importer Handbook, Fines, Targeting at China Safety Summit

Manufacturers Must Build Safety into Process, Not Just Test Final Products

Chairman Tenenbaum stated that it is taking some time, but Chinese suppliers and U.S. importers are beginning to understand, from both governments, that it is a mistake to depend on good intentions and a few final inspections to ensure compliance with safety requirements. Safety must be built into the product in the first place.

Groundwork Being Laid for Best Practices, U.S. to Issue Importer’s Handbook

Toward this end,U.S., EU, and Chinese regulators are working to lay the ground work for companies to implement proven best practices, such as: (i) factoring the potential for misuse into design; (ii) putting strict controls on components and other inputs; and (iii) conducting enough sampling and testing to ensure that all of the products coming off the manufacturing line are safe for consumers.

The Chairman noted that CPSC is developing a new Importer’s Handbook on best practices for importing safe consumer products.

Importers Being Held Accountable for Compliance, Fines Increasing

On the U.S. side, importers need to have assurances that their suppliers are complying with all U.S. safety requirements. CPSC can, and is, holding businesses in the U.S. accountable for recalls and imposing larger fines on those with repeated or severe violations.

CPSC Uses Advance Manifest Data for Targeting, Seized 1800 Shipments Last Year

The agency’s new access to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advance manifest information for shipments on their way to the U.S. is helping its targeting efforts. She stated that last year, CPSC seized 1,800 shipments at the ports and found 56% were non-compliant. Field investigators are also conducting more surveillance activities in support of CPSC projects than ever before.

Chairman Wants CPSC to Be More Proactive, Identify Emerging Hazards

Chairman Tenenbaum stated that her vision for CPSC is for the agency to be more proactive and dedicated to injury prevention, rather than always reacting to the next hazard. With additional funding, CPSC is upgrading its information technology infrastructure to help staff “connect the dots” between different incidents, identify patterns of defects, and respond quickly to emerging hazards.

Since CPSIA, Toy Recalls Have Been Cut in Half

In fiscal year 2008, when the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was enacted, there were more than 80 toy recalls in the U.S., with nearly half of those recalls related to lead violations. However, in fiscal year 2009 after certain CPSIA provisions, particularly those on lead, became effective, there were about 40 toy recalls, with only 15 lead violations. Preliminary numbers for FY 2010 indicate that those numbers continue to drop.

Looking for a Fair Settlement in Drywall Case

The Chairman stated that CPSC field investigators are responding to what is the most expansive and expensive investigation in the agency’s history concerning problem drywall inside homes. CPSC has asked for meetings with the Chinese manufacturers of problem drywall and seeks the Chinese government’s help in reaching a fair and just settlement for everyone involved. (See ITT’s Online Archives, 04/07/10 news, 10040715, for most recent BP summary regarding CPSC’s drywall investigation.)

(See ITT’s Online Archives or 11/02/10 news, 10110211, for BP summary of the joint statement of U.S., EU, and Chinese regulators at the October 2010 trilateral product safety summit.)