U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission

The Commission protects you and your family from unsafe products.

Who We Are

We are the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an independent federal regulatory agency that was created in 1972 by Congress in the Consumer Product Safety Act. In that law, Congress directed the Commission to "protect the public against unreasonable risks of injuries and deaths associated with consumer products."

We have jurisdiction over about 15,000 types of consumer products, from automatic-drip coffee makers to toys to lawn mowers. Some types of products, however, are covered by other federal agencies. For example, cars, trucks and motorcycles are covered by the Department of Transportation; foods, drugs and cosmetics are covered by the Food and Drug Administration; and alcohol, tobacco and firearms are within the jurisdiction of the Department of the Treasury.

What We Do

CPSC works to reduce the risk of injuries and deaths from consumer products by:

•developing voluntary standards with industry

•issuing and enforcing mandatory standards; banning consumer products if no feasible standard would adequately protect the public

•obtaining the recall of products or arranging for their repair

•conducting research on potential product hazards

•informing and educating consumers through the media, state and local governments, private organizations, and by responding to consumer inquiries.

How We Can Help

If you've had a problem with a consumer product or you want information, here's how to get in touch with us:

•To report an unsafe consumer product or a product-related inquiry, call the CPSC toll-free Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or (800) 638-8270 for the hearing and speech impaired

•To request a free copy of our publication listing, write to us at U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207

•For additional information, contact our nearest field office (see the following list)

Field Offices

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Western Region

Western Regional Center

600 Harrison Street, Room 245

San Francisco, CA 94107-1370

(415) 744-2966

Locations

Albuquerque, Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Little Rock, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, Seattle

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Central Region

Central Regional Center

230 South Dearborn Street, Room 2944

Chicago, IL 60604-1601

(312) 353-8260

Locations

Atlanta, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Memphis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Twin Cities

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Eastern Region

Eastern Regional Center

201 Varick Street

New York, NY 10014-4811

(212) 620-4120

Fax (212) 620-5338

Locations

Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Charleston, Charlotte, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Trenton, Washington, D.C. Area

Access Through the Internet

CPSC news releases, Public Calendar and other information can be obtained via the Internet from the agency's Web Site:Web Site Address: http://www.cpsc.gov

Agency staff may be contacted by e-mail:E-mail Address: info@cpsc.gov

If you know the name of the CPSC staff person to whom the message should be directed, please include the name at the beginning of your message.

Fax-On-Demand

To order information from CPSC's Fax-On-Demand service, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of a fax machine and follow the instructions to place an order.

Who We Are, What We Do, How We Can Help

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Washington, DC 20207

CONSUMER HOTLINE

English/Spanish: (800) 638-2772

Hearing/Speech Impaired: (800) 638-8270

Legal Topics

Bankruptcy

Contracts

Debt and Credit

Defective Products

Employment