Product Safety Requirements for Small Business

Compliance with rules and regulations can guard against future claims

By Carrie Thorson, Reporter, Institutional Investor Newsletters

Small businesses and manufacturers have an obligation to ensure that they market only safe products. To meet the safety standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), products must comply with certain guidelines and regulations.

Ensuring that only safe products reach consumers may seem like a formidable task, but there are numerous resources available to help small businesses. Understanding CPSC rules can be accomplished with a few easy steps:

Knowledge is crucial to compliance. By knowing what the CPSC expects, you can be prepared for any investigation or claim against your product.
Run practice safety tests on your product. Getting it right the first time can save loads of time and money.
Provide clear instructions for use on the label or elsewhere on the product. Include all warnings and hazards.

Determine if your product is covered by the CPSC

CPSC regulations cover about 15,000 types of consumer products used in the home, at schools and for recreation.
Try: Get to know the CPSC guides and regulations. Find laws relevant to your specific product or guidance for products not previously covered. Find more information on product safety requirements at FirstGov for Consumers.

Know CPSC mandatory standards and guidelines

The CPSC administers five statutes passed by Congress: the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Flammable Fabrics Act, the Poison Prevention Packaging Act and the Refrigerator Safety Act. Thoroughly understanding these rules helps avoid problems before they begin.
Try: The Small Business Ombudsman helps small businesses comply with CPSC regulations. They are an excellent source of advice on interpreting CPSC statutes.

Be prepared

The CPSC takes reports and complaints from consumers, investigates each case and issues recalls if necessary. Test your product in advance and have enough information ready to generate a thorough product safety report. Provide clear instructions for use on the label or elsewhere on the product. Include all warnings and hazards.
Try: Get help with product safety certification from Elliot Labs. Use tips on safety sign and label resources from Plastics Distributor and Fabricator Magazine.

Keep current with the latest safety standards

Requirements are constantly changing, and both old and new products must comply. Reading current product safety news will keep you informed as to what is happening with products similar to yours.
Try: Find a list of recalls on the CPSC recall site. Follow product safety news at the Washington Post. Safety Forum offers up-to-date news and resources, and BizJournals keeps tabs on workplace regulation issues nationwide.