Most manufacturers of appliances and other consumer products do a great job of producing quality products. Our lives are certainly simplified by the modern appliances in our homes. But once in a while you read about a fire caused by a clothes dryer or other product that is not safe. (The illustration depicts an owner’s unsafe installation.) How can you protect your home and family from problems with products? Check out www.saferproducts.gov.
SaferProducts.gov provides consumer product safety information from the database of the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumers and businesses can submit reports of harm involving consumer products, and this information goes into a comprehensive database of consumer product issues.
You can use the website to search for safety issues for thousands of products, from baby toys to vending machines. You can find recall information on all types of products and how manufacturers are handling the recall.
The website offers extensive information about specific recalls. It describes the product, the specific problem(s) and what a consumer should do. It also provides contact information for the manufacturer and how the consumer should proceed.
The database is extensive but relatively easy to use. It’s well organized, with many types of product categories that are easy to understand and easy to search.