Neighbor News
SPRING CLEAN FOR SAFETY
Be on the lookout for potentially hazardous or recalled products....................
SPRING CLEAN FOR SAFETYAs closets, garages and other storage areas are cleared out and cleaned, keep safety in mind. Be on the lookout for potentially hazardous or recalled products that could expose you or others to injury. .Each year the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada announce safety recalls of hundreds of household items including appliances, power tools and furniture, as well as toys, baby strollers, and car seats, that present serious risk of injury. Unfortunately, no action is taken on the majority of recalled items, either out of ignorance about the degree of concern that may exist or simply because consumers may not have heard about the recall when it was announced.
At least once a year, it would be a good practice to check for recalled products that you might have in your own home. Also, before picking up used items at a yard sale, check for any recalls. Federal laws prohibit any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by any government agency.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada are charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with thousands of types of consumer products. For more information, go to CPSC’s website (www.cpsc.gov). You can also get information on Twitter @USCPSC or by subscribing to CPSC’s free e-mail newsletters.
In Canada, visit Health Canada at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca. There are several organizations, such asWeMakeItSafer.com and RecallChek that provide a means to track your own products for possible recalls.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired.
HMAInspect - John Bosonetto - Certified ASHI,FHA/HUD Inspector - 770.998.6700____www.hmainspect.com Note: These tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a professional if you have questions about a specific issue. More home safety and maintenance information is available online at www.housemaster.com.