Private Hazards Made Public

Have you ever wanted to know more about the companies that you work with?  You might know all the ins and outs of a company’s promotional material, but determining whether consumers are satisfied can be elusive information.

In this alleged Information Age, lobbyist organizations such as Public Citizen worked hard to make information about products more readily accessible for the regular person.  If your work deals with companies that create anything from tools to cribs, you may benefit from a new database that can keep you abreast of customers’ experiences with new products.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is formally launching a new database designed to protect consumers from hazardous products.  According to a press release by Christine Hines of Public Citizen, people will be able to learn if others in the country have been injured by anything, and anyone who has been injured by a dangerous product can warn others.

The database (available at www.saferproducts.gov) is not seen as progress by everyone.  Some lawmakers are trying to cut funding for the database.  Two weeks ago, a majority of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to cut off all money for the database.  The amendment was filed by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), whose top campaign contributor is Koch Industries, a giant manufacturer.

Critics of the database worry that alarmist  complaints will be published.  Advocates of the website insist that many safeguards are in place.  For instance, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is required to submit incident reports to the respective product manufacturer before posting them online.