As a consumer, being aware of potentially harmful toys, foods and medicines is important to protecting yourself and your family.  As your Congresswoman, I am here to help in any way that I can.  I am committed to working in Washington to improve our screening procedures, and to ensure that unsafe products stay off of American shelves.

I encourage you to stay aware of recalls of products, and emerging reports of unsafe goods.  That is why I have created this resource for you.  Below, you will find links to sites that report the latest recalls, news stories on unsafe products, and tips for safe shopping.

It is inevitable that we will encounter dangerous products and situations, and I want us all to be prepared and safe.  Being adequately prepared and informed is a key part of preventing harmful outcomes.  Your safety and the safety of your families will always be my top priority.

LINKS

Visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

http://www.cpsc.gov/

To find the latest recalls on products, visit: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html

To find recalls on a variety of products, including food and medicine, visit:

http://www.recalls.gov/

To report an unsafe product, visit:

http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html

For tips on safely buying prescriptions online, visit:

http://www.fda.gov/buyonline/

For tips on substances to be aware of, visit:

http://www.healthytoys.org

The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers these toy safety shopping tips:

Under 3 Years Old

• Children under 3 tend to put everything in their mouths. Avoid buying toys intended for older children which may have small parts that pose a choking danger.
• Never let children of any age play with uninflated or broken balloons because of the choking danger.
• Avoid marbles, balls, and games with balls that have balls with a diameter of 1.75 inches or less. These products also pose a choking hazard to young children. 
• Avoid toys with small magnets, magnetic pieces, or loose magnets, as they can be swallowed. Unfortunately, if two magnets connect together after they are swallowed, they can cause an intestinal blockage or more serious problems. 
• Children at this age pull, prod and twist toys. Look for toys that are well-made with tightly secured eyes, noses and other parts.

Ages 3 Through 5

• Avoid toys that have sharp edges and points. 
• Avoid toys that are constructed with thin, brittle plastic that might easily break into small pieces or leave jagged edges. 
• Look for household art materials including crayons and paint sets, marked with the designation "ASTM D-4236." This means the product has been reviewed by a toxicologist and, if necessary, labeled with cautionary information. 
• You should also avoid toys with magnets at this age.

Ages 6 Through 12

• Teach older children to keep their toys away from their younger brothers and sisters. 
• If buying a toy gun, be sure the barrel or the entire gun is brightly colored so that it's not mistaken for a real gun.

For children of all ages:

• check toys regularly for small parts, breakage and potential hazards, including chipped or peeling pain. Damaged or dangerous toys should be repaired or thrown away. 
• watch for toy recalls and quickly remove recalled toys 
• encourage your kids to not put their toys in their mouth (although it is harder for infants and younger toddlers) 
• if you buy a bicycle, scooter, skates, or other sporting goods, buy a helmet and appropriate pads too, and make sure the child wears them. 
• teach them to put toys away when they're finished playing so they don't trip over or fall on them.