Which government agency is responsible for ensuring the products we buy are safe, the FDA, the CPSC, or the NHTSA? None of them. Although these are three of the most important agencies for establishing regulations and monitoring reports of defects in many different products, no government agency is "responsible" for ensuring the products are safe. Everyone has their role to play, including you.
The Role of Government Agencies in Consumer Protection
Government agencies establish regulations which represent the bare minimum that manufacturers of products should do to ensure their products are reasonably safe for sale and consumption. The three agencies responsible for regulating most products that cause serious injury and death are the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission), and the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). The FDA regulates foods, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices. The CPSC regulates most general consumer products, including toys, tools, and furniture. The NHTSA regulates cars and related equipment.
In general, once the government has established standards, its main role is collecting information from consumers' reports, researching them, and passing them on to the manufacturer. A government agency may ask a manufacturer to initiate a recall if reports or research suggests that there may be a serious problem with a product, but manufacturers are encouraged to initiate recalls as soon as they become aware of a dangerous product.
The Role of Manufacturers in Consumer Protection
Manufacturers have the biggest role in ensuring that consumer products are safe. A manufacturer designs a product, builds the product, and labels the product. As a result, they are the ones best qualified to spot defects in design, manufacturing, or labeling that may result in serious injury. As a result, manufacturers are often held responsible for defects that they were in a unique position to spot. Many times, manufacturers did spot the defect, but they decided to market or continue marketing a product, hoping to profit despite the defect.
Your Role in Consumer Protection
You, and other consumers like you, play a very important role in protecting yourself and others from dangerous products. You don't have contact with a product before you purchase it, so your role in consumer protection begins with your purchase. Only buy products from companies you trust to have taken reasonable steps to ensure your protection. This is vital because it makes safety good business and will encourage manufacturers to be rigorous in policing their own products.
When you get a product home, protect yourself and your family. Thoroughly read all instructions before using a product, and use it only according to instructions. Make sure a product has every part listed in the instructions and do not use a product with missing parts. Keep dangerous products out of the hands of children.
If you ore a loved one has suffered an injury related to a dangerous consumer product, there is more you can do to protect others. First, make sure your injury gets reported to the appropriate regulatory agency and the manufacturer, both of whom can correlate your injury with others to distinguish dangerous products from isolated accidents.
And you should also consider a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer. Product liability lawsuits can not only pay your medical bills and compensate you for lost wages due to your injury: they force the manufacturer to experience the full cost of your injury in terms they understand. Product liability lawsuits can make it unprofitable to sell dangerous products. They also publicize dangerous product recalls and may prevent others from suffering your injury.
To learn more about product liability lawsuits and consumer protection, please visit the website of Gary Starnes, Attorney at Law in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
