A new website being launched by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission will be available for Massachusetts consumers. Called saferproducts.gov, the website is geared toward consumers who want safety information quickly – not after the CPSC has undertaken laborious studies. Consumers can publish complaints and manufactures can respond immediately.
This website is the result of a law, passed by Congress in 2008, that requires CPSC to create a consumer product database in its report to Congress. The CPSC stated that the new Safer Products.gov database will “facilitate and increased exchange of information between CPSC, consumers and industry.” It is expected to have a 15 day turnaround from the filing of the complaint to the complaint appearing in the saferproducts.gov database.
Like any federal program, this one is open for review to determine its usefulness, however, it is a wonderful notion and a great way to get information to consumers fast, giving them the opportunity to evaluate the product themselves. There is the chance that the media will feast on information too soon. However, because it gives manufacturers a chance to respond immediately, there is a likelihood that they will correct safety mistakes quicker.