Consumer Product Safety Commission Chair Inez Tenenbaum today announced a new award for contributions toward consumer product safety. Consumer Reports, and its policy and advocacy division, Consumers Union, is one of the five recipients.

Established this year, the Chairman’s Circle of Commendation Award honors individuals or organizations whose work directly improves product safety by reducing deaths and preventing injuries.

“Consumers are safer today because of the work of these five individuals and groups,” said Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “Each has, in their own way, pushed the envelope with safety innovations, advocacy, or product testing. Their contributions to product safety are invaluable.”

Of the work done here at Consumer Reports, the CPSC cited our research and testing of product safety. The other four winners of the Chairman’s Circle of Commendation Awards included the following:

• ASTM Subcommittee F15.18 for adopting tough voluntary safety standards for children’s nursery products (especially cribs), which were crucial to the development of the CPSC’s mandatory crib safety standards—the strongest in the world.
• Nancy Cowles, executive director of Kids in Danger, for her work on behalf of children’s safety issues.
• Dr. Gary Smith, director, Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, for his work on preventing injuries through product design changes, educating consumers, and eliminating product hazards.
• Gene Rider, president of Intertek Consumer Goods, for his work in identifying risks and improving the safety of consumer products for children, and particularly for his work focused on preventing injuries and deaths due to choking, strangulation, and aspiration.

Consumer Reports and Consumers Union Honored with CPSC Award for Advancing Product Safety, Helping Save Lives [Consumers Union]
CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum Awards Her First Safety Commendations to Five Individuals and Groups New Award Program Recognizes Exceptional Contributions to Product Safety and Saving Lives [CPSC]