U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Consumer Product Safety Commission’s seal
Agency overview
Formed	October 24, 1972; 52 years ago (1972-10-24)
Headquarters	Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Employees	500[1]
Agency executives	Peter Feldman, Acting Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric, Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr., Commissioner Mary Boyle, Commissioner Douglas Dziak, Commissioner
Website	www.cpsc.gov

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC, CPSC, or commission) is an independent agency of the United States government. The CPSC seeks to promote the safety of consumer products by addressing "unreasonable risks" of injury (through coordinating recalls, evaluating products that are the subject of consumer complaints or industry reports, etc.); developing uniform safety standards (some mandatory, some through a voluntary standards process); and conducting research into product-related illness and injury.^[2]

The agency was created by section 4 of the Consumer Product Safety Act in 1972.^[3] The agency reports to Congress and the President; it is not part of any other department or agency in the federal government.^[3] The CPSC has five commissioners, who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate for staggered seven-year terms.^[3] Historically, the commission was often run by three commissioners or fewer.^[4] Since 2009, however, the agency has generally been led by five commissioners, one of whom serves as chairman. The commissioners set policy for the CPSC. The CPSC is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.^[1]