Contact Us

If you still have questions or prefer to get help directly from an agent, please submit a request.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Please fill out the contact form below and we will reply as soon as possible.

  • Courses
  • Home
  • Law, Transactions, & Risk Management
  • Consumer Protection

Consumer Product Safety Act - Explained

What is the CPSA?

Written by Jason Gordon

Updated at December 1st, 2020

Contact Us

If you still have questions or prefer to get help directly from an agent, please submit a request.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Please fill out the contact form below and we will reply as soon as possible.

  • Marketing, Advertising, Sales & PR
    Principles of Marketing Sales Advertising Public Relations SEO, Social Media, Direct Marketing
  • Accounting, Taxation, and Reporting
    Managerial & Financial Accounting & Reporting Business Taxation
  • Professionalism & Career Development
  • Law, Transactions, & Risk Management
    Government, Legal System, Administrative Law, & Constitutional Law Legal Disputes - Civil & Criminal Law Agency Law HR, Employment, Labor, & Discrimination Business Entities, Corporate Governance & Ownership Business Transactions, Antitrust, & Securities Law Real Estate, Personal, & Intellectual Property Commercial Law: Contract, Payments, Security Interests, & Bankruptcy Consumer Protection Insurance & Risk Management Immigration Law Environmental Protection Law Inheritance, Estates, and Trusts
  • Business Management & Operations
    Operations, Project, & Supply Chain Management Strategy, Entrepreneurship, & Innovation Business Ethics & Social Responsibility Global Business, International Law & Relations Business Communications & Negotiation Management, Leadership, & Organizational Behavior
  • Economics, Finance, & Analytics
    Economic Analysis & Monetary Policy Research, Quantitative Analysis, & Decision Science Investments, Trading, and Financial Markets Banking, Lending, and Credit Industry Business Finance, Personal Finance, and Valuation Principles
  • Courses
+ More

What is the Consumer Product Safety Act?

The Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) was passed for the purpose of protecting consumers against dangerous products. The CPSA encompasses several consumer protection acts, such as the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). The CPSA established the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which is charged with administering the provisions of the CPSA along with its regulatory provisions. The CPSC has authority over most consumer products, except those that are expressly relegated to a separate federal agency. The CPSC has authority to establish product safety standards, seek the recall of, and potentially ban, products that are unreasonably dangerous or present a significant risk to consumers.

Note: The CPSIA is an important amendment that protects individuals against retaliation for reporting concerns about product safety. It is also dedicated to ensuring the production of safe products for children.

Example: The coverage of the CPSC is very broad. Examples of consumer products specifically relegated to other federal agencies include: food, drugs, tobacco products, firearms, medical devices, aircrafts, boats, etc.

Next Article: Product Labeling Laws Back to: CONSUMER PROTECTION

Discussion: How do you feel about the broad authority granted to the CPSC? Do you feel the authority is sufficiently broad? Why or why not? As you have learned, defective products may create strict liability for manufacturers and sellers. Should this be balanced against the above regulations? Why or why not?

Was this article helpful?

Yes
No

Related Articles

  • Consumer Credit Protection Act - Definition
  • Commercial Practices Prohibited by FTC
  • Privacy Act of 1974 - Explained
  • Electronic Funds Transfer Act - Explained

©2011-2021. The Business Professor, LLC.
  • Privacy

  • Questions

Definition by Author

0
0
Expand