using cpsc data to drive product safety
DESCRIPTION
What data can you use to drive your business and improve product design? CPSC has databases you can use to look for product problems by searching through consumer product-related incidents, injuries and deaths to take proactive action and minimize risk. CPSC experts will discuss how these databases are used by CPSC internally to examine potential actions; how to search and use CPSC’s national injury database (NEISS) and SaferProducts.gov to identify problems; and how these databases may benefit business and industry in promoting safer products.TRANSCRIPT
PANEL: USING CPSC DATA TO DRIVE PRODUCT SAFETY
NJ SCHEERS, DIRECTOR, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
STEPHEN HANWAY, DIRECTOR, HAZARD ANALYSIS
TOM SCHROEDER, DIRECTOR, DATA SYSTEMS
These comments are those of the CPSC staff and have not been reviewed or approved by, and may not necessarily reflect the views of, the Commission.
PURPOSE OF PANEL
How to use CPSC databases to help you mine incident data related to your products:
•SaferProducts.gov•NEISS
√ What this panel is not:•a discussion of policy issues related to each database
$900 Billion in Societal Costs
38.6 Million Injuries
35,900 Deaths
Annual Estimated Losses Associated with Consumer Products
SIZE OF THE PROBLEM EACH YEAR
CPSC COLLECTS DATA FOR: CPSC
Other Federal Agencies
Children’s – cribs, highchairs, toys
Electrical – toasters, hairdryers, holiday lights
Lawn/Garden – mowers, chain saws
Household – portable generators, furnaces, water heaters
Recreational – bicycle helmets, ATVs
Household Chemicals
AutomobilesBoatsAirplanesFoodMedical DevicesPesticidesTobacco
ProductsFirearms
DATA IS IMPORTANT TO CPSC
CPSC is data driven.
Decisions flow from the data:
annual projects
recalls
outreach and education
CPSC DATA SYSTEMS
Surveillance Data
Minimal information on hazard
Identify trends
Generate Hypotheses
Assign investigations
In-Depth investigations
SURVEILLANCE DATA: DEATHS
Death Certificates are:Purchase from the states with codes likely
to be related to consumer productsCollect 8,000 certificates annuallyObtain all certificates in 3 years, most in 2
years
Medical Examiner/Coroner ReportsConsumer-product related deaths reported
immediatelyCollect about 5,500 reports each yearImportant early warning system
PRODUCT-RELATED INJURY DATA
National Electronic Injury Surveillance System
(NEISS) • Stratified national probability
sample of 96 hospitals with emergency rooms
• System collects 400,000 product-related injury reports each year
• Provides national estimates
• Data available on www.cpsc.gov
NEISS: MULTILEVEL SYSTEM
Level 1: Routine surveillance of emergency department injuries
Level 2: Special emergency department surveillance activities
Level 3: In-depth telephone investigations
Level 4: In-depth on-site investigations
IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATIONS
Collect additional information on cases of special interest:
Collected by telephone or on-site investigation
Trained investigators collect the data
Protocols developed by subject matter experts
Analysis by staff helps determine potential Commission actions
SURVEILLANCE DATA: SAFERPRODUCTS.GOV
• Required by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act passed by Congress in 2008
• Data collected since 3/11/2011
• Allows public to report and search for risks of harm
• Permits business to submit comments and other information electronically
• Allows public to search for recall information
• Allows firms registered with SaferProducts.gov to receive notification of reports of harm as quickly as possible
SURVEILLANCE DATA – OTHER SOURCES
More than 30,000 reports annually
News Clips
Hotline Reports
Poison Control Centers
National Fire Incident Reporting System
National Burn Center Reporting System
HOW IS THE DATA USED AT CPSC?
Voluntary Standards Mandatory Standards Compliance Activities Outreach/Education FOIA Requests
EXAMPLE: USING DATA TO MAKE BABY WALKERS SAFER
INCREASING INJURY TREND
Before Voluntary Standard
DATA ANALYSIS (NEISS, ON-SITE INVESTIGATIONS)
83% of the injuries were falls downstairs.
84% of the severe injuries resulted from falling downstairs.
Infants 9 months old, under 28 pounds.
Occurred during normal use with caregiver nearby.
Baby Walker-Related Injury Rate: 1981 to 2001
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001
Inju
ry R
ate
Per
100
0 L
ive
Bir
ths
After Voluntary Standard
DECREASING INJURY TREND
OUTCOME
NEISS data helped identify major injury scenario with baby walkers.
Industry used NEISS data - designed a safer baby walker.
NEISS allowed CPSC staff to track and evaluate the successful reduction of baby walker injuries.