CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC)

Statement of Regulatory Priorities

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of death and injury associated with consumer products. To achieve this goal, the CPSC:

  • develops mandatory product safety standards or bans when other efforts are inadequate to address a safety hazard, or where required by statute;

  • obtains repair, replacement, or refunds for defective products that present a substantial product hazard;

  • develops information and education campaigns about the safety of consumer products;

  • participates in the development or revision of voluntary product safety standards; and

  • follows statutory mandates.

    Unless directed otherwise by congressional mandate, when deciding which of these approaches to take in any specific case, the CPSC gathers and analyzes data about the nature and extent of the risk presented by the product. The Commission's rules at 16 CFR section 1009.8 require the Commission to consider, among other factors, the following criteria when deciding the level of priority for any particular project:

  • frequency and severity of injury;

  • causality of injury;

  • chronic illness and future injuries;

  • costs and benefits of Commission action;

  • unforeseen nature of the risk;

  • vulnerability of the population at risk;

  • probability of exposure to the hazard; and

  • additional criteria that warrant Commission attention.

    Significant Regulatory Actions:

    Currently, the Commission is considering one rule that would constitute a "significant regulatory action" under the definition of that term in Executive Order 12866:

    1. Flammability Standard for Upholstered Furniture

    Under section 4 of the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA), the Commission may issue a flammability standard or other regulation for a product of interior furnishing if the Commission determines that such a standard is needed to adequately protect the public against unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death or personal injury, or significant property damage. The Commission's regulatory proceeding could result in several actions, one of which could be the development of a mandatory standard requiring that upholstered furniture meet mandatory requirements specified in the standard.