(a) The Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent regulatory agency which was formed on May 14, 1973, under the provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Act (Pub. L. 92-573, 86 Stat. 1207, as amended (15 U.S.C. 2051, et seq.)). The purposes of the Commission under the CPSA are:

(1) To protect the public against unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products;

(2) To assist consumers in evaluating the comparative safety of consumer products;

(3) To develop uniform safety standards for consumer products and to minimize conflicting State and local regulations; and

(4) To promote research and investigation into the causes and prevention of product-related deaths, illnesses, and injuries.

(b) The Commission is composed of five members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for terms of seven years.

The Commission administers five acts:

(a) The Consumer Product Safety Act (Pub. L. 92-573, 86 Stat. 1207, as amended (15 U.S.C. 2051, et seq.)).

(b) The Flammable Fabrics Act (Pub. L. 90-189, 67 Stat. 111, as amended (15 U.S.C. 1191, et seq.)).

(c) The Federal Hazardous Substances Act (Pub. L. 86-613, 74 Stat. 380, as amended (15 U.S.C. 1261, et seq.)).

(d) The Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-601, 84 Stat. 1670, as amended (15 U.S.C. 1471, et seq.)).

(e) The Refrigerator Safety Act of 1956 (Pub. L. 84-930, 70 Stat. 953, (15 U.S.C. 1211, et seq.)).

(a) The Commission operates a toll-free telephone Hotline by which the public can communicate with the Commission. The number for use in all 50 states is 1-800-638-CPSC (1-800-638-2772).

(b) The Commission also operates a toll-free Hotline by which hearing or speech-impaired persons can communicate by teletypewriter with the Commission. The teletypewriter number for use in all states is 1-800-638-8270.

(c) The Commission also makes information available to the public product recall information, its public calendar, and other information through its Internet gopher service at Internet address cpsc.gov. The public may also report product hazards or other information to the Commission at its electronic mail address: info@cpsc.gov.

(d) The Commission also provides a fax-on-demand service from which the public can request Commission documents by calling 1-301-504-0051 from the handset of a facsimile machine.

(a) The principal Offices of the Commission are at 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. All U.S. Postal Service mail communications with the Commission should be addressed to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207-0001, unless otherwise specifically directed. Materials sent by private express services or by messenger should be addressed to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-4408.

(b) The Commission has 3 Regional Centers which are located at the following addresses and which serve the states and territories indicated:

(1) Central Regional Center, 230 South Dearborn St., room 2944, Chicago, Illinois 60604-1601; Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

(2) Eastern Regional Center, 6 World Trade Center, Vesey Street, room 350, New York, New York 10048-0950; Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Virgin Islands.

(3) Western Regional Center, 600 Harrison St., room 245, San Francisco, California 94107-1370; Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexicao, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Any interested person may petition the Commission to issue, amend, or revoke a rule or regulation by submitting a written request to the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207.

(a) Each decision of the Commission, acting in an official capacity as a collegial body, is recorded in Minutes of Commission meetings or as a separate Record of Commission Action. Copies of Minutes or of a Record of Commission Action may be obtained upon written request from the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, or may be examined in the public reading room at Commission headquarters. Requests should identify the subject matter of the Commission action and the approximate date of the Commission action, if known.

(b) Other records in the custody of the Commission may be requested in writing from the Office of the Secretary pursuant to the Commission's Procedures for Disclosure or Production of Information under the Freedom of Information Act (16 CFR part 1015).

(a) Advisory opinions. Upon written request, the General Counsel provides written advisory opinions interpreting the acts the Commission administers. Advisory opinions represent the legal opinions of the General Counsel and may be changed or superseded by the Commission. Requests for issuance of advisory opinions should be sent to the General Counsel, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207. Requests for copies of particular previously issued advisory opinions or a copy of an index of such opinions should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207.

(b) Interpretations of regulations. Upon written request, the Assistant Executive Director for Compliance will issue written interpretations of Commission regulations pertaining to the safety standards and the enforcement of those standards. Interpretations of regulations represent the interpretations of the staff and may be changed or superseded by the Commission. Requests for such interpretations should be sent to the Assistant Executive Director for Compliance, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207. Requests for interpretations of administrative regulations (e.g., Freedom of Information Act regulations) should be sent to the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207.

(a) The Commission may meet and exercise all its powers in any place.

(b) Meetings of the Commission are held as ordered by the Commission and, unless otherwise ordered, are held at the principal office of the Commission at 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. Meetings of the Commission for the purpose of jointly conducting the formal business of the agency, including the rendering of official decisions, are generally announced in advanced and open to the public, as provided by the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b) and the Commission's Meetings Policy (16 CFR part 1012).

(c) The Commission may conduct any hearing or other inquiry necessary or appropriate to its functions anywhere in the United States. It will publish a notice of any proposed hearing in the Federal Register and will afford a reasonable opportunity for interested persons to present relevant testimony and data.

(d) Notices of Commission meetings, Commission hearings, and other Commission activities are published in a Public Calendar, as provided in the Commission's Meetings Policy (16 CFR part 1012).

Three members of the Commission constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If there are only three members serving on the Commission because of vacancies, two members constitute a quorum. If there are only two members serving on the Commission because of vacancies, two members constitute a quorum, but only for six months from the time the number of members was reduced to two.

(a) The Chairman is the principal executive officer of the Commission and, subject to the general policies of the Commission and to such regulatory decisions, findings, and determinations as the Commission is by law authorized to make, he or she exercises all of the executive and administrative functions of the Commission.

(b) The Commission annually elects a Vice Chairman to act in the absence or disability of the Chairman or in case of a vacancy in the Office of the Chairman.

Section 27(b)(9) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2076(b)(9)) authorizes the Commission to delegate any of its functions and powers, other than the power to issue subpoenas, to any officer or employee of the Commission. Delegations are published in the Commission's Directives System.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is composed of the principal units listed in this section.

(a) The following units report directly to the Chairman of the Commission:

(1) Office of the General Counsel;

(2) Office of Congressional Relations;

(3) Office of the Secretary;

(4) Office of the Inspector General;

(5) Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Enterprise;

(6) Office of the Executive Director.

(b) The following units report directly to the Executive Director of the Commission:

(1) Office of the Budget;

(2) Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction;

(3) Office of Information and Public Affairs;

(4) Office of Compliance;

(5) Office of Planning and Evaluation;

(6) Office of Human Resources Management;

(7) Office of Information Services;

(8) Directorate for Administration;

(9) Directorate for Field Operations.

(c) The following units report directly to the Assistant Executive Director for Hazard Identification and Reduction:

(1) Directorate for Economic Analysis;

(2) Directorate for Epidemiology and Health Sciences;

(3) Directorate for Engineering Sciences;

(4) Directorate for Laboratory Sciences.

The Commission maintains a Directives System which contains delegations of authority and descriptions of Commission programs, policies, and procedures. A complete set of directives is available for inspection in the public reading room at Commission headquarters.

The Office of the General Counsel provides advice and counsel to the Commissioners and organizational components of the Commission on matters of law arising from operations of the Commission. It prepares the Commission's legislative program and comments on relevant legislative proposals originating elsewhere. The Office, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, is responsible for the conduct of all Federal court litigation to which the Commission is a party. The Office also advises the Commission on administrative litigation matters. The Office provides final legal review of and makes recommendations to the Commission on proposed product safety standards, rules, regulations, petition actions, and substantial hazard actions. It also provides legal review of certain procurement, personnel, and administrative actions and drafts documents for publication in the Federal Register.

The Office of Congressional Relations is the principal contact with the committees and members of Congress. It performs liaison duties for the Commission, provides information and assistance to Congress on matters of Commission policy, and coordinates testimony and appearances by Commissioners and agency personnel before Congress.

The Office of the Secretary prepares the Commission's agenda, schedules and coordinates Commission business at official meetings, and records, issues, and stores the official records of Commission actions. The Office prepares and publishes the Public Calendar under the Commission's Meetings Policy. The Office exercises joint responsibility with the Office of the General Counsel for the interpretation and application of the Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, and the Government in the Sunshine Act, and prepares reports required by these acts. It issues Commission decisions, orders, rules, and other official documents, including Federal Register notices, for and on behalf of the Commission and controls the use of the Commission seal. The Secretary of the Commission also serves as the agency's Advisory Committee Management Officer, and is responsible for managing the establishment, procedures, and accomplishments of all advisory committees utilized by the Commission. The Office supervises and administers the dockets of adjudicative proceedings before the Commission. The Office maintains the records of continuing guaranties of compliance with applicable standards of flammability issued under the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) which are filed with the Commission in accordance with provisions of section 8(a) of the FFA (15 U.S.C. 1197(a)). Upon request, the Office of the Secretary provides appropriate forms to persons and firms desiring to execute continuing guaranties under the FFA. The Office also supervises and administers the public reading room.

The Office of the Inspector General is an independent office established under the provisions of the Inspector General Act of 1978, 5 U.S.C. appendix, as amended by the Inspector General Act Amendments of 1988. This Office independently initiates, conducts, supervises, and coordinates audits, operations reviews, and investigations of Commission programs, activities, and operations. Reporting only to the Chairman, and under his or her general supervision, the Office also makes recommendations to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within the Commission's programs and operations. The Office receives and investigates complaints or information concerning possible violations of law, rules, or regulations, mismanagement, abuse of authority, and waste of funds. It reviews existing and proposed legislation concerning the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of such legislation on Commission operations.

The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Enterprise assures compliance with all laws and regulations relating to equal employment opportunity in accordance with the Equal Employment Act of 1972, 29 CFR part 1613, and section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. The Office reports directly to the Chairman and provides advice to the Chairman and Commission staff on EEO matters and the agency Procurement Preference Program. The Office manages the discrimination complaint process, the Upward Mobility Program, the stay-in-school program, and other special emphasis activities having to do with affirmative action employment practices. The Office makes recommendations to the Chairman on ways to promote equal opportunity in order to enhance the Commission's EEO posture.

The Executive Director with the assistance of the Deputy Executive Director, under the broad direction of the Chairman and in accordance with Commission policy, acts as the chief operating manager of the agency, supporting the development of the agency's budget and operating plan before and after Commission approval, and managing the execution of those plans. The Executive Director has direct line authority over the following directorates and offices: the Directorate for Administration, the Directorate for Field Operations, the Office of the Budget, the Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction, the Office of Information and Public Affairs, the Office of Compliance, the Office of Planning and Evaluation, the Office of Human Resources Management, and the Office of Information Services.

The Office of the Budget is responsible for overseeing the development of the Commission's budget. The Office, in consultation with other offices and directorates, prepares, for the Commission's approval, the annual budget requests to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget and the operating plans for each fiscal year. It manages the execution of the Commission's budget. The Office recommends to the Office of the Executive Director actions to enhance effectiveness of the Commission's programs and activities.

The Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction, under the direction of the Assistant Executive Director for Hazard Identification and Reduction, is responsible for managing the Commission's Hazard Identification and Analysis Program and its Hazard Assessment and Reduction Program. The Office reports to the Executive Director, and has line authority over the Directorates for Epidemiology and Health Sciences, Economic Analysis, Engineering Sciences, and Laboratory Sciences. The Office develops strategies for and implements the agency's operating plans for these two hazard programs. This includes the collection and analysis of data to identify hazards and hazard patterns, the implementation of the Commission's safety standards development projects, the coordination of voluntary standards activities and international liaison activities related to consumer product safety, and providing overall direction and evaluation of projects involving hazard analysis, data collection, emerging hazards, mandatory and voluntary standards, petitions, and labeling rules. The Office assures that relevant technical, environmental, economic, and social impacts of projects are comprehensively and objectively presented to the Commission for decision.

The Office of Planning and Evaluation reports to the Executive Director and is responsible for the Commission's planning and evaluation activities. It develops integrated short and long range plans for achieving the Commission's goals and objectives. The office is responsible for the development and analysis of both major policy and operational issues. Evaluation studies are conducted to determine how well the Commission fulfills its mission. These studies include impact and process evaluations of Commission programs, projects, functions, and activities. Recommendations are made to the Executive Director for changes to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Management analyses and special studies are also conducted. These cover, but are not limited to, internal controls, organizational performance, structure, and productivity measurement. Recommendations are made to the Executive Director for improving management efficiency and effectiveness. The Office also coordinates, develops, and issues agencywide directives and manages the Commission's information collection budget and obtains Office of Management and Budget clearance for information collections.

The Office of Information and Public Affairs, which is managed by the Director of the Office, is responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive national information and public affairs program designed to promote product safety. This includes responsibility for developing and maintaining relations with a wide range of national groups such as consumer organizations; business groups; trade associations; state and local government entities; labor organizations; medical, legal, scientific and other professional associations; and other Federal health, safety and consumer agencies. The Office also is responsible for implementing the Commission's media relations program nationwide. The Office serves as the Commission's spokesperson to the national print and broadcast media, develops and disseminates the Commission's news releases, and organizes Commission news conferences.

The Office of Compliance, which is managed by the Assistant Executive Director for Compliance, conducts or supervises the conduct of compliance and administrative enforcement activity under all administered acts, provides advice and guidance to regulated industries on complying with all administered acts and reviews proposed standards and rules with respect to their enforceability. The Office's responsibility also includes identifying and acting on safety hazards in consumer products already in distribution, promoting industry compliance with existing safety rules, and conducting litigation before an administrative law judge relative to administrative complaints. It directs the enforcement efforts of the field offices and provides program guidance, advice, and case guidance to field offices and participates in the development of standards before their promulgation to assure enforceability of the final product. It enforces the Consumer Product Safety Act requirement that firms identify and report product defects which could present possible substantial hazards, violations of consumer product safety rules, violations of standards relied upon by the Commission, or unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, and the requirement that firms report certain lawsuit information. It reviews consumer complaints, in-depth investigations, and other data to identify those consumer products containing such hazards or which do not comply with existing safety requirements. The Office negotiates and subsequently monitors corrective action plans designed to give public notice of hazards and recall defective or non-complying products subject to the Commission's jurisdiction, gives public warning to consumers where appropriate, and provides guidelines and directs the field in negotiating and monitoring corrective action plans designed to recall products which fail to comply with specific regulations. It gathers information on generic product hazards which may lead to subsequent initiation of safety standard setting procedures. The Office develops surveillance strategies and programs designed to assure compliance with Commission standards and regulations. It originates instructions to field offices and provides subsequent interpretations or guidance for field surveillance and enforcement activities.

The Office of Human Resources Management, which is managed by the Director of the Office, provides human resources management support to the Commission in the areas of recruitment and placement, position classification, training and executive development, employee and labor relations, employee benefits and retirement assistance, employee assistance programs, drug testing, leave administration, disciplinary and adverse actions, grievances and appeals, and performance management.

The Office of Information Services, which is managed by the Assistant Executive Director for Information Services, is responsible for general policy, controlling and conducting managerial activities and operations relating to the collection, use, and dissemination of information by the agency. The Office manages the Commission's information system that supports all its program activities. The Office provides automated data processing and operational support for data collection, information retrieval, report generation, electronic mail, and statistical and mathematical operations of the agency. The Office maintains the agency's local and wide area networks and develops and supports other network applications. The Office develops plans for improving agency operations through the use of information technology. The Office's functional responsibilities include planning, organizing, and directing information resources management (including records management and related requirements), and the managing of the agency's management directives system. The Office administers the Commission's telecommunications services including the agency's toll-free Hotline by which the public reports hazardous consumer products and receives information about product recalls and product hazards. It also oversees operation of the Commission's Internet and fax-on-demand services. It administers the National Injury Information Clearinghouse.

The Directorate for Epidemiology and Health Sciences, which is managed by the Associate Executive Director for Epidemiology and Health Sciences, is responsible for injury analysis to identify and document information on consumer-product related hazards or hazard patterns, and for developing and implementing health science policies and programs. The Directorate collects data on consumer product-related hazards and potential hazards, determines the frequency, severity, and distribution of the various types of injuries, and investigates their causes. It collects health science, exposure, and medical data; reviews and evaluates toxicological, physiological, medical and chemical-related hazards; and determines exposure, uptake and metabolism, including information on population segments at risk. It assesses the effects of product safety standards and programs on consumer injuries and conducts epidemiological and health studies and research in the field of consumer product-related injuries. The Directorate performs risk assessments for chemical, physiological and physical hazards based on methods such as medical injury modeling and on injury and incident data for mechanical, thermal, chemical and electrical hazards in consumer products. The Directorate provides statistical support for other Commission organizations including, but not limited to, standards development, certification programs, and sampling for field inspection programs. It maintains and manages the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). It provides the Commission's primary source of technical expertise for implementation of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. The Directorate assists in the development and evaluation of product safety standards and test methods based on the chemical, biological and medical, statistical and epidemiological sciences. It provides support to the Commission's regulatory development and enforcement activities. It manages hazard identification and analysis and hazard assessment and reduction projects as assigned. The Directorate provides liaison with the National Toxicology Program, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control, other federal agencies and programs, and other organizations concerned with reducing the risk to consumers from exposure to all the hazards the Commission must address. The Directorate is responsible for managing and safeguarding confidential business information received from the Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with the requirements of that agency.

The Directorate for Economic Analysis, which is managed by the Associate Executive Director for Economic Analysis, is responsible for providing the Commission with advice and information on economic and environmental matters and on the economic, social and environmental effects of Commission actions. It analyzes the potential effects of CPSC actions on consumers and on industries, including effects on competitive structure and commercial practices. The Directorate acquires, compiles, and maintains economic data on movements and trends in the general economy and on the production, distribution, and sales of consumer products and their components to assist in the analysis of CPSC priorities, policies, actions, and rules. It plans and carries out economic surveys of consumers and industries. It studies the costs of accidents and injuries. It evaluates the economic, societal, and environmental impact of product safety rules and standards. It performs regulatory analyses and studies of costs and benefits of CPSC actions as required by the Consumer Product Safety Act, The National Environmental Policy Act, the Regulatory Flexibility Act and other Acts, and by policies established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Directorate manages hazard assessment and reduction projects as assigned.

The Directorate for Engineering Sciences, which is managed by the Associate Executive Director for Engineering Sciences, is responsible for developing technical policy for and implementing the Commission's engineering programs. The Directorate manages hazard assessment and reduction projects as assigned by the Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction; provides engineering technical support and product safety assesments for the Office of Compliance; provides engineering, scientific, and technical expertise to the Commission and Commission staff as requested; and provides engineering technical support to other Commission organizations, activities, and programs as needed. The Directorate develops and evaluates product safety standards, product safety tests and test methods, performance criteria, design specifications, and quality control standards for consumer products, based on engineering and scientific methods. It conducts engineering analysis and testing of the safety of consumer products, and evaluates and participates in the development of mandatory and voluntary standards for consumer products including engineering and human factors analyses in support of standards development and product compliance testing. The Directorate performs or monitors research for consumer products in a broad array of engineering disciplines including chemical, electrical, fire protection, human factors, and mechanical engineering. It conducts and coordinates engineering research, testing, and evaluation activities with other federal agencies, private industry, and consumer interest groups. The Directorate conducts human factors studies and research of consumer product related injuries, including evaluations of labels, signs and symbols, instructions, and other measures intended to address the human component of injury prevention. The Directorate provides technical supervision and direction of engineering activities including tests and analyses conducted in the field.

The Directorate for Laboratory Sciences, which is managed by the Associate Executive Director for Laboratory Sciences, is responsible for implementing the Commission's engineering and health sciences laboratories programs. The Directorate's functional responsibilities include development and evaluation of product safety standards, and product safety tests and test methods, based on engineering and other physical sciences, chemical, and biological sciences to support general agency regulatory activities. The Directorate develops and evaluates performance criteria, design specifications and quality control standards for certain consumer products. It provides engineering, scientific, and technical expertise to the Commission, conducts engineering tests and studies of the safety of consumer products, evaluates industry voluntary standards efforts, and participates in the development of product safety standards. It performs and monitors research and conducts studies of the safety of, or improving the safety of, consumer products in engineering, other physical sciences, chemical, and biological sciences. The Directorate is composed of two divisions, the Engineering Laboratory Division and the Health Sciences Laboratory Division. The Directorate provides engineering and scientific services in support of the Commission's enforcement activities. It coordinates engineering research, testing, and evaluation activities with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and other federal agencies, private industry, and consumer interest groups. It provides the Commission's expertise and laboratory support to other laboratories and other chemical and biological testing facilities. It provides chemical and biological laboratory support to all Commission organizations, activities, and programs. The Directorate provides technical supervision and direction of engineering activities including tests and analyses conducted in the field.

The Directorate for Administration, which is managed by the Associate Executive Director for Administration, is responsible for formulating general administrative policies supporting the Commission in the areas of financial management, procurement, and general administrative support services including property and space management, physical security, printing, and warehousing. The Directorate is responsible for the payment, accounting, and reporting of all expenditures within the Commission and for operating and maintaining the Commission's accounting system and subsidiary Management Information System which allocates staff work time and costs to programs and projects.

(a) The Directorate for Field Operations, which is managed by the Associate Executive Director for Field Operations, has direct line authority over all Commission field operations; develops, issues, approves, or clears proposals and instructions affecting the field activities; and provides a central point within the Commission from which Headquarters officials can obtain field support services. The Directorate provides direction and leadership to the Regional Center Directors and to all field employees and promulgates policies and operational guidelines which form the framework for management of Commission field operations. The Directorate works closely with the other Headquarters functional units, the Regional Centers, and other field offices to assure effective Headquarters-field relationships, proper allocation of resources to support Commission priorities in the field, and effective performance of field tasks. It represents the field and prepares field program documents. It coordinates direct contact procedures between Headquarter's offices and Regional Centers. The Directorate is also responsible for liaison with State, local, and other Federal agencies on product safety programs in the field.

(b) Regional Centers are responsible for carrying out investigative, compliance, and consumer information and public affairs activities within their areas. They encourage voluntary industry compliance with the laws and regulations administered by the Commission, identify product related incidents and investigate selected injuries or deaths associated with consumer products, and implement wide-ranging public information and education programs designed to reduce consumer product injuries. They also provide support and maintain liaison with components of the Commission, other Regional Centers, and appropriate Federal, State, and local government offices.