CPSC Public Database Goes Live, First Reports of Harm Viewable in April

Allows Consumers to Submit Reports of Harm, Search for Safety Info

CPSC says that the new "SaferProducts.gov" database, which is being launched on time and on budget, allows consumers to submit reports of harm or risks of harm and to search for safety information on products.

Manufacturer Comments Available, Published Simultaneously if Timely Submitted

Manufacturer (including importer) statements on the reports of harm will also be available. CPSC states that under the procedures set up by the CPSIA, CPSC will review all online reports of harm and have five business days to transmit qualifying reports to the manufacturer, where practicable.

Manufacturers then have 10 business days during which they may respond and provide comments and/or claims. At the end of the 10 day period, if all requirements are met, the report of harm and the manufacturer’s comments will both be posted on SaferProducts.gov.

(CPSC has previously noted that manufacturer comments will be published whenever it receives them. The 10 day period only applies if the manufacturer wants their comments to be submitted at the same time the report of harm is first made visible in the public database.)

During Soft Launch 1500 Reports Filed, 1400 Businesses Registered

On January 24, 2011, CPSC began registering businesses online during its “soft launch” of the database and accepting reports though SaferProducts.gov to test the system. (See ITT’s Online Archives or 01/21/11 news, 11012128, for BP summary.)

Since then, about 1500 reports have been filed by consumers online. About 1400 manufacturers have signed up on the Business Portal, so they can receive a copy of a report about their product in a timely manner via e-mail.

First Reports of Harm Will Be Viewable in April 2011

Reports of harm during the soft launch test period will not be visible to the public but are being processed internally by CPSC as has been done with all reports in the past. However, reports of harm that are submitted from now on should be visible and searchable in the system around April 2011.

Commissioner Nord Says Public Database Has More than 100 Glitches

Commissioner Nord of the Consumer Product Safety Commission posted a blog describing some of the over 100 glitches that she says emerged during the six week soft launch of CPSC's public database of consumer product safety incidents. She says that as some of these problems will take weeks to months to sort out, the database is not ready for "prime time," despite being launched on March 11, 2011.

She said that the problems range from technical to conceptual. For example:

• Licensees or retailers may be referenced in a report, but because of the database set-up, they cannot respond to the report and would not even be put on notice.

• Currently the system allows CSPC to send only one automatic electronic notification through the business portal to a manufacturer or importer. Anyone else who should receive it gets it sent manually and if sent by “snail mail,” that would eat up much of the 10 day turnaround time allotted for manufacturers’ responses.

House-Passed Bill to Ban Spending on Public Database Failed in Senate

The fiscal year 2011 Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 1), which passed the House on February 18, 2011, contained numerous amendments prohibiting the use of FY 2011 funds for specific government programs and requirements, including the establishment of CPSC’s public database. On March 9, 2011, H.R.1 failed to pass in the Senate. (See ITT’s Online Archives or 02/23/11 and 03/10/11 news, 11022316 and 11031006 for BP summaries.)