• From the Editor's Desk
• Special Article
• News of Interest
• Coming Events
I can say with much pride that I worked at the Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for over 25 years. In fact, I was one
of the people who was transferred from FDA to this new agency in the early
1970s. I remember the excitement and hope most of us had as we took on
new responsibilities and challenges. We did good and the Commission grew
to almost 1,000 people. Then we got whacked by the Reagan Administration's
anti-Government/regulation policies and the agency's staff and budget
were drastically reduced. Many good people lost their jobs. Currently
CPSC has a little over 400 people on staff.
I know I am prejudiced, but name me any agency that does more public good
saving lives and reducing injuries than CPSC, and they do it with a drastically
reduced staff and minimal budget. A tremendous buy for the American consumer.
So now that public safety is one of the hot topics of the day, it warms my heart to see lawmakers from both sides of the aisle "rushing" to increase the budget and responsibilities of the Commission. And as far as I can tell, Corporate America is generally supporting Congress' efforts.
However we got to where we are—magnets, lead in paint, cribs, China, the media, consumer activists and more—the CPSC is one agency that needs the increased budget and staff. Hopefully Congress will send a strong united Bill to the President for a quick signing.
I am confident that CPSC's Commissioners and dedicated staff will use the increased money and power with great discretion, thereby reducing consumer product-related injuries and deaths.
Ross Koeser
Executive Director, ICPHSO
ICPHSO Annual Meeting and Training Symposium
February 18-21, 2008
The Capital Hilton
Washington, DC
Go to www.icphso.org for more information.
ICPHSO Mid-Western CPSC Compliance Training
May 29, 2008
Oak Brook, IL
Intertek Training: The Competitive Advantage of Essential Product
Safety
Intertek is offering a Product Safety Training course that addresses key
issues involved with integrating safety into your business process. Presentations
will be conducted by leading experts, international safety lawyers, and
product testing authorities. Hal Stratton, Senior Product
Safety Consultant and past Chairman of the United States Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC), will be presenting at the U.S. courses.
The Product Safety Training course is being offered at the following locations on the following 2008 dates:
Hong Kong – April 8 & 9
London - April 9 & 10
Oak Brook - May 13 & 14
Asia Pacific – July 8 & 9
Oak Brook - August 26 & 27
France - October 7 & 8
Los Angeles - October 28 & 29
Asia Pacific – November 4 & 5
Preventing Liability for Foreign Products - A PLP Primer By Kenneth Ross
Recently, there have been news stories almost every day about new and continuing safety issues with Chinese-made products, including food for pets and humans, car tires, toothpaste, and consumer products, especially toys.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ("CPSC"), more than 40% of all consumer products recalled this year were made in China, including all toys recalled this year. And last year, 79% of all toys were made in China.
For non-consumer products, it is hard to know how many Chinese products were recalled. And, even if we had a number, I'm sure it would be understated in that it probably wouldn't include U.S.-made products which contain Chinese component parts or raw materials that caused the recall.
Given this reality, there are a number of issues that manufacturers and product sellers have to face when trying to prevent future product safety and product liability problems for foreign-made products.
The first issue is whether it is advisable to buy safety-critical products or component parts or raw materials from China or any other country with a less sophisticated and robust safety and quality system. Certainly, U.S. manufacturers or product sellers do not buy from foreign sources to buy better-quality products. They hope to have an acceptable level of quality and safety at a cheaper price.
So, given the increased risks, and increased costs of dealing with foreign manufacturers, especially those not known for producing high-quality products, can you save enough money by buying from foreign manufacturers to justify the risk? Given product margins, you can spend most or all of your profits with one product liability case or recall, if the foreign supplier does not take care of the entire cost, including administrative costs for your employees. And, this doesn't include damage to the U.S. manufacturer’s or retailer's reputation in the marketplace.
Despite all of this, U.S. manufacturers and retailers will continue to buy all kinds of raw materials, component parts, and finished products from China and elsewhere. And these numbers will continue to increase, as long as there is no backlash from consumers. In that case, U.S. manufacturers need to be prepared to provide assurances to their customers and the ultimate customer about the safety and quality of these products.
In light of the above, U.S. manufacturers and retailers need to take extra precautions to minimize the risk to an acceptable level and to be prepared to convince government agencies and consumers that its products are safe. So, let's examine some well-known prevention techniques and see what else should be done when foreign-made products are being imported into the U.S.
Contracts and Insurance
U.S. manufacturers and retailers should have more detailed contracts and
specifications when dealing with foreign suppliers. Most contracts and
specifications for U.S. and foreign suppliers are inadequate when dealing
with some safety issues, such as recalls. However, since a U.S.-based
supplier can be sued here, it is a bit easier to deal with issues that
are not in the contract and to get their attention if something bad happens.
With foreign manufacturers who have no assets in the U.S., and therefore no jurisdiction to be sued, it is harder to enforce contracts in general and certainly harder to deal with issues not explicitly set forth in the contract.
Some of the issues that could be included in such contracts and specifications involve required certifications or other safety and quality testing, the documentation that must be sent to the U.S. in English to support the certifications and testing, and confirmation of the foreign manufacturer’s understanding of U.S. safety regulatory issues and when they must tell you about a post-sale safety or quality issue.
You should be sure to include in the contract remedy and damage provisions that are acceptable to you. For example, you may not want the foreign manufacturer to disclaim consequential damages or to provide that repair or replacement is the only remedy. This is especially true for component parts, where the additional costs of repair, replacement, or refund can be enormous. In addition, do you expect the foreign manufacturer to pay for all costs of a recall? If so, be sure it is clearly set forth in the contract.
Of course, the foreign manufacturer should indemnify you and hold you harmless in the event of a product liability claim or lawsuit. However, do you really want them defending the case, or do you want to make it dear that you control the defense or at least are able to participate in it, even if their insurance applies? Their insurance company should be U.S. based and be financially capable of responding in the future. And, you should require a relatively low self-insured retention.
You should think about how you are going to enforce this contract if necessary. Will you have to sue in China? Or, will they agree to jurisdiction in the U.S. And, is the foreign company financially capable of paying for any recall or any deductible in an insured matter? If the company goes bankrupt or closes its doors, the insurance premium isn't paid and there is no one other than the U.S. manufacturer to pay for the recall. Maybe the foreign manufacturer should be required to post some type of bond with provisions for when the U.S. manufacturer can access the proceeds of the bond.
And the foreign manufacturer needs to agree to cooperate with the U.S. manufacturer in all respects during production, during any product liability case, and during any government inquiry. They need to timely provide documents in English and provide personnel who can explain in a U.S. court of law or in a deposition why their product was reasonably safe.
Design and Manufacturing Procedures
Safety and quality procedures for foreign manufacturers shouldn't be any
different than for U.S.-based manufacturers. However, it is more important
that you know what the foreign manufacturer is doing and how they are
documenting the results.
Some additional questions that could be asked include:
- Do they do a hazard analysis, a failure mode and effects analysis, a design review? Do they document these procedures? Do they train their personnel in how to do them? What level of safety is acceptable? Is it up to the foreign manufacturer to decide on levels of safety or do they need your approval for the final design?
- Do they get certifications from respected testing agencies? Do they give these agencies all necessary information? Are they possibly supplying misleading or incomplete information so as to jeopardize the certifications? Is it possible that these certification agencies are inappropriately or incorrectly certifying the product as a result of bribes or incompetence? Should these certifications be done in the U.S. or Canada?
- How do you know that the foreign manufacturer continues to comply with the design approved by the certifying agency? Do you confirm compliance on a periodic basis?
Manufacturing Issues
What type of quality testing do they do – full, partial, random?
What do they consider a product that meets specifications? Do they believe
that “close enough" is acceptable? Is that acceptable to you?
Should you do full, partial or random incoming inspection testing of
the product or component part? Do you confirm that the foreign manufacturer
has not changed the raw material in the part or product they sell you
after you have approved or the certifying agency has approved? There are
many horror stories of this happening.
Should you have full-time people at the plant in the foreign country monitoring
their manufacturing and quality control processes?
Warnings and Instructions
Do you review and “approve” the warnings and instructions
provided by the foreign manufacturer? Do you require them to utilize the
services of a competent native English speaker to draft the warnings and
instructions? Do you require them to retain a competent U.S.-based lawyer
to provide advice on the adequacy of the warnings and instructions?
The U.S.-based manufacturer should not generally undertake the rewriting of the warnings and instructions of a supplier, U.S. or foreign. Doing that makes them more potentially liable. It is better to require the foreign manufacturer to utilize competent people to assist them. They know their products best and should be required to provide you a component part or finished product that is safe in its design, manufacture, and warnings and instructions.
Post-sale Issues
The foreign manufacturer needs to have competent personnel in-house to
receive and evaluate post-sale safety and quality issues. They have to
agree to allow you to review this information if it is appropriate. And
there should be some agreement on when it is appropriate.
For example, if a Chinese manufacturer sells the same component to 10 manufacturers and has a problem with products sold to one or more of those manufacturers, it should be required to tell you, even if you haven't had any problems with their component. The goal is for you to be able to prevent problems before they happen.
Certainly, you need to be immediately notified if the component part has been inserted into a product not made by you and has been recalled anywhere in the world. And, you should be sure that the supplier's personnel, or their advisors, are familiar with the U.S. governmental reporting responsibilities, and know what to tell you and when.
The foreign manufacturer's design and manufacturing processes should enable them to narrow the potential universe of problem products so as to allow you to correct or retrieve only those products that need to be dealt with. This includes traceability and marking procedures that are appropriate for the risk level of the particular product.
Defending the Product
U.S. manufacturers don't want to be in a position where their only defense
is blaming a foreign supplier. This is especially true if the manufacturer
is not in the courtroom with you.
So, even while you are evaluating who to do business with and what procedures you want them to adhere to, think about how they will appear in court if they have to defend the adequacy of their part or product. Are they sincere, can they speak well (preferably in English)? Do they have documents that have been written carefully and correctly discussing what they did to be sure they produced a safe and quality product? Will your witnesses be able to understand and use these documents to defend the adequacy of the product or part?
Conclusion
All of the techniques and concerns mentioned above are also important
for U.S.-based suppliers. However, given the reality of what manufacturers
are producing products with problems, it is even more important to go
the extra mile with Chinese and possibly other foreign suppliers.
Ultimately, the manufacturer or product seller gets to make a business decision on whom to buy from and what to require them to do. Since it will be impossible to get a Chinese or other foreign manufacturer to do all of these things, the company will need to decide what is most important and what preventive techniques are priorities. In that way, it will be better prepared to make a rational business decision and assume the future risk which it deems acceptable.
Kenneth Ross can be reached at Kenrossesq@comcast.net or 952-933-1195.
NEWS OF INTEREST top
- Statement of Consumer and Scientific Groups on House Passage of CPSC Reform Bill
- AHAM Warms Up for Winter with Portable Electric Heater Safety Program
- Health Canada Gets MOU with China
- California and Los Angeles Sue Toy Companies
- RAPEX Reports are 57% Above Last Year’s Number
- U.K. Faults Giving Consumers Too Much Information
- Prime Minister of Canada Announces Canada’s New Food and Consumer Safety Plan
- Proposed Federal Bill Banning Phthalates
- Product Safety State Contacts
1. Statement of Consumer and Scientific Groups on House Passage of CPSC Reform Bill
Consumer and scientific groups commended the House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act. Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, and the Union of Concerned Scientists released the following statement:
"We appreciate the hard work that has gone into crafting H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, and thank the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Leadership for their prompt action today. Our current product safety system is in dire need of comprehensive reform, and this bill represents the first concrete effort to help protect consumers while addressing industry concerns.
The issue now moves to the Senate, where we look forward to working with
members as they continue to work to strengthen the nation's product safety
net. We understand that the Senate is working on a measure that would
give the CPSC greater enforcement authority, such as state attorney general
enforcement of consumer protections; toy testing standards; public disclosure
of important product hazard information; and critical protections for
whistleblowers, among others. We hope to work with both the House and
the Senate to get a strong final CPSC reform bill to the president as
soon next year as possible.
H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, reflects a compromise
to fix our broken product safety system. This bill: increases funding
and staff for the Consumer Product Safety Commission; includes a major
provision to reduce lead in children's toys and other products; and establishes
new testing requirements for children's products.
This bill is a meaningful step in the effort to give CPSC the tools it
needs to protect American consumers, especially children, from the hazards
posed by unsafe products. We look forward to continued oversight by the
House of Representatives to ensure that the CPSC is doing all it should
to protect our children.
We also commend both houses for the anticipated final passage later today
of provisions in the Omnibus package providing CPSC with an $80 million
budget for FY08-$17 million more than the Commission received last year,
and $16.75 million than the Administration's request."
For more information, contact Rachel Weintraub at CFA at 202-387-6121 or rweintraub@consumerfed.org.
2. AHAM Warms Up for Winter with Portable Electric Heater Safety Program
Portable electric heaters are useful in cold weather; however, if not used properly, they can be a fire or electric shock hazard. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there is an average of 3000 portable heater fires per year, often due to improper use.
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), along with safety partners, is launching a portable electric heater safety and education program throughout the heating months of December, January and February. AHAM, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) urge consumers to follow these simple tips when using portable electric heaters:
- Read the manufacturer’s instructions and warning labels before using your portable electric heater.
- DO NOT leave an operating heater unattended and always unplug heater when not in use.
- DO NOT use your heater with a power strip or extension cord. Overheating of a power strip or extension cord could result in a fire.
- String out cords on top of area rugs or carpeting. Placing anything, including furniture, on top of the cord may damage it.
- Keep combustible materials, such as furniture, pillows, bedding, papers, clothes and curtains at least three feet from the front of the heater and away from the sides and rear. DO NOT block heater’s air intake or outlet.
- Keep flammable materials, such as paint, gas cans and matches, away from the heater.
- Unless the heater is designed for outdoor use or in bathrooms, DO NOT use in damp or wet areas. Parts in the heater may be damaged by moisture.
- Check periodically for a secure plug/outlet fit. If the plug does not fit snugly into the outlet or if the plug becomes very hot, the outlet may need to be replaced. Check with a qualified electrician to replace the outlet.
- Unplug the heater when not in use by pulling the plug straight out from the outlet. Inspect the heater’s cord periodically. DO NOT use a heater with a damaged cord.
- DO NOT plug any other electrical device into the same outlet as your heater. This could result in overheating.
- Heaters should be kept away from children and not be placed in a child’s room without supervision.
- Place heater on a level, flat surface. Only use heater on table tops when specified by the manufacturer. DO NOT place your heater on furniture. It could fall, dislodging or breaking parts in the heater.
AHAM’S safety brochure will be offered in both English and Spanish and is available free of charge at www.heatersafety.org or by calling (888) 785-7233. Please be smart, be safe and enjoy your portable electric heater.
For more information, contact: Jill A. Notini at jnotini@aham.org.
3. Health Canada Gets MOU with China
On November 27 Health Canada signed a memorandum of understanding on product and other safety issues with its Chinese counterpart, the General Administration of Quality and Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). Items of the agreement include sharing regulatory and lab testing information, training Chinese manufacturers on Canadian safety requirements, and creating ways for the two governments to share information, especially when “critical product safety issues arise.” China has similar pacts with the U.S. and the EU.
(This content originally appeared in the Product Safety Letter and was printed with permission. For more information, contact ProductSafety@cox.net.)
4. California and Los Angeles Sue Toy Companies
The California Attorney General and the Los Angeles City Attorney November 19 sued 20 companies, under Proposition 65, for allegedly making or selling toys with unlawful amounts of lead. The suit alleges that the companies knowingly exposed consumers to lead and failed to provide warnings about the risk. The suit stems from those filed by the Center for Environmental Health, Environmental Law Foundation and As You Sow. Under Proposition 65, the Attorney General has the option to take on privately filed suits or to allow them to proceed independently. The suit is at ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/press/pdfs/n1497_final_toy_complaint.pdf.
(This content originally appeared in the Product Safety Letter and was printed with permission. For more information, contact ProductSafety@cox.net.)
5. RAPEX Reports are 57% Above Last Year’s Number
The EU handled 167 RAPEX notifications in November, bringing the 2007
tally up to 1,485. That number represents a 57% increase over the reports
received over the same period in 2006. In November, Slovakia led the reporting
nations with 31 notices, followed by Germany (15), France (12), the U.K.
(11) and Finland (10). Toys accounted for about 41% of notices with 50,
followed by motor vehicles (13), lighting equipment (12), electrical appliances
(11) and cosmetics (10). Chemical risks led to 41 reports, followed by
electric shock and “injuries” (both 20), choking (18) and
fire (14). A large plurality of products (69) originated in China, followed
by “unknown” (17), Poland (4) and France/Germany/Italy/U.K./U.S.
(each with 3). There were equal numbers of voluntary and compulsory actions,
with each type accounting for 48% of notices. The remaining 4% involved
both. See the report at
http://www.ec.europa.eu/consumers/safety/rapex/stats01-11-2007.pdf
(This content originally appeared in the Product Safety Letter and was printed with permission. For more information, contact ProductSafety@cox.net.)
6. U.K. Faults Giving Consumers Too Much Information
Product safety information will be among the targets of a project launched November 14 by the U.K. Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR). According to BERR, “Much of the vital information provided with products and services is never read because it is too long or too complicated.” One example cited in an accompanying report, Too Much Information Can Harm, is a toaster manual that gives more than 50 safety warnings. Among the measure suggested by the agency to address the problem are testing messages on consumers before using them and giving greater freedom to industry about the content of their messages. The campaign focuses on more than product safety messages, including issues such as credit.
(This content originally appeared in the Product Safety Letter and was printed with permission. For more information, contact ProductSafety@cox.net.)
7. Prime Minister of Canada Announces Canada’s New Food and Consumer Safety Plan
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan, a comprehensive set of proposed new measures that will make Canadians safer by legislating tougher federal government regulation of food, health, and consumer products.
Prime Minister Harper noted that there has been a sharp rise in the number of product recalls involving unsafe toys, food and drugs in recent years. “Canadians rightly expect their federal governments to police the safety of the products they bring into their homes,” the Prime Minister said, “Today, I’m pleased to announce a plan that will significantly enhance our ability to do just that.”
The proposed legislation, to be introduced in the New Year, will transform the government’s approach to regulating product safety. For the first time in Canada, instead of merely reacting to problems, the regulations will be designed to prevent them. New measures will include:
- Mandatory product recalls when companies fail to act on legitimate safety concerns.
- Making importers responsible for the safety of goods they bring into Canada.
- Increasing maximum fines under the Food and Drug Act from $5,000 up to current international standards.
- Better safety information for consumers and guidance to industries on building safety throughout their supply chains.
“The Food and Product Safety Action Plan delivers on our Government’s commitment to building a stronger, safer, better Canada,” said Prime Minister Harper. “This plan will benefit all Canadians: it will improve our safety and health, reward responsible industry players, and enhance Canada’s reputation abroad as a country whose product safety standards are second to none.”
The Government will begin engaging consumer and industry stakeholders on how best to proceed with the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan in the New Year.
(This article originally appeared on www.pm.gc.ca).
8. Proposed Federal Bill Banning Phthalates
The U.S. Congress has proposed the Children’s Chemical Risk Reduction Act that would prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of certain children’s products and childcare articles that contain phthalates.
The phthalates restrictions in the federal bill are the same as those established under California’s recently enacted AB 1108, and if passed, would go into effect January 1, 2009. Additionally, a number of states including Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, and New York have introduced similar legislation.
For more information contact info@us.bureauveritas.com.
9. Product Safety State Contacts
Since the beginning of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the states have been strong partners with CPSC to reduce product-related injuries and deaths. Because there are many agencies within a state that have consumer product-related responsibilities, CPSC asked each state to name a primary contact for Federal/State cooperation. Below is contact information for product safety liaisons from the CPSC, States, and U.S. Territories. Hotlinked e-mail addresses are included. You may also go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/state/state.html.
- Alabama
Mr. James J. McVay
Office of Health Promotion and Information
Department of Public Health
201 Monroe St. Rm. 900
Montgomery, Alabama 36130-1701
Phone: (334) 206-5300
Fax: (334) 206-5534
Email: jmcvay@adph.state.al.us
Contact: Carol Mysinger
http://www.adph.org/
Tracy W. Klein (800) 252-1818 or (334) 206-5524
Fax: (334) 206-2059
tklein@adph.state.al.us - Alaska
Commissioner Karleen Jackson
Department of Health and Social Services
P.O. Box 110601
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0601
Phone: (907) 465-3030
Fax: (907) 465-3068
Email: karleen_jackson@health.state.ak.us - Arizona
Mr. Ben C. Stephleton
Food Safety Manager
Arizona Department of Health Services
150 N. 18th Avenue, Suite 430
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Phone: (602) 364-3140
Fax: (602) 364-3146
Email: stepleb@azdhs.gov - Arkansas
Bettye Watts, Program Support Manager
Injury Prevention Branch
Division of State Health
4815 W. Markham St.
Little Rock, AR 72205-3867
(501) 280-4776
bwatts@healthyarkansas.com - California
Ingeborg B. Small, Chief
Medical Device safety/Youth Tobacco Enforcement Section
CA Department of Health Services
Food and Drug Branch
Post Office Box 997435, MS7602
Sacramento, CA 95899-7435
Phone: (916) 650-6624
Fax: (916) 440-5368
E-mail: Ismall@dhs.ca.gov - Colorado
Ms. Therese Pilonetti
Program Manager
Colorado Department of Public Health
Environmental-Consumer Protection Division
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, Colorado 80246
Phone: (303) 692-3642
Fax: (303) 753-6809
E-mail: therese.pilonetti@state.co.us - Connecticut
Jerry Farrell, Jr., Commissioner
Department of Consumer Protection
State Office Building
Room 103165
Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (860) 713-6050
Fax: (860) 713-7239
E-mail: Joan Jordan - Joan.jordan@ct.gov
Richard Maloney - Richard.e.maloney@ct.gov - CPSC
Denise P. Beatty, Director
State and Local Programs
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East West Highway, Suite 710
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 504-7676
Fax: (301) 504-0354
E-mail: dbeatty@cpsc.gov - Delaware
Mary Sue Jones
Trauma System Coordinator
Contact: Owen Simwale, Injury Epidemiologist
Office of Emergency Medical Services
655 Bay Road, Suite 4H
Dover, Delaware 19901
Phone: (302) 739-6637
Fax: (302) 739-2352
E-mail: marysue.jones@state.de.us
(vacant)
Department of Health
Bureau of Injury & Disability Prevention
825 N. Capitol Street, NE3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202)442-9139
Fax: (202)442-4796 - Florida
LuAnn Stiles, Director
Consumer Services Division
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
407 South Calhoun Street
Mayo Building, Room 233
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800
Phone: (850) 410-3677
Fax: (850) 410-3839
E-mail: stilesl@doacs.state.fl.us - Georgia
John Oxendine, Commissioner
Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
Suite 704, West Tower
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr.
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: (404) 656-9140
Fax: (404) 657-6096
Primary Contact: Shirley F. Lasseter, Director of Public Education
Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
Suite 620, West Tower
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr.
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: (404) 657-2044
E-mail: slasseter@sfm.ga.gov - Guam
PeterJohn D. Camacho, Acting Director
Department of Public Health & Social Services
123 Chalan Kareta, Route 10,
Mangilao, Guam 96923
Phone: (671) 735-7102-5
Fax: (671) 734-5910 - Hawaii
Eric Tash, Program Manager
Department of Health
Injury Prevention Program and Emergency Medical Services
1250 Punchbowl Street, Room 214
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 586-5942
Fax: (808) 586-5945
E-mail: eric.tash@doh.hawaii.gov - Idaho
Ms. Kim Youmans
Consumer Specialist
Office of the Attorney General
700 W. Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0010
Phone: (208) 334-4138
Fax: (208) 334-2830
kim.youmnas@ag.idaho.gov - Illinois
Darrell G. Patterson
State Coordinator
Illinois SAFE KIDS Coalition
Illinois Department of Public Health
535 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62761
(217) 785-5937
Fax: (217) 524-2831
Darrell.patterson@illinois.gov - Indiana
Tom Bodin
Project Manager
Indiana Attorney General
302 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 234-2255
E-mail: Tbodin@atg.state.in.us - Iowa
Debra Cooper
Division of Disease Prevention
State Department of Health
Lucas State Office Building
321 East 12th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Phone: (515) 242-6337
Fax: (515) 281-4958
E-mail: dcooper@idph.state.ia.us - Kansas
Lesa Roberts
Director, Bureau of Consumer Health
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 200
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1274
Phone: (785) 296-5599
FAX: (785) 296-6522
E-mail: LRoberts@kdhe.state.ks.us - Kentucky
Vacant
Tammy L. Warford, Administrative Specialist II (Interim contact)
Environmental Management Branch, Division of Public Health Protection and Safety
Department for Public Health
Cabinet for Human Resources
275 East Main Street - HS1CD
Frankfort, Kentucky 40621
Phone: (502) 564-4856 ext. 3725
Fax: (502) 696-3809
E-mail: Tammy.Warford@ky.gov - Louisiana
Dr. Louis Trachtman
Assistant State Health Officer
Louisiana Office of Public Health
325 Loyola Avenue, Room 503
POB 60630
New Orleans, LA 70160-0630
Phone: 504-568-5048
Fax: 504-599-0734
E-mail: trachman@dhh.la.gov - Maine
Mr. Clough Toppan
Director, Division of Environmental Health
Department of Health and Human Services
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
286 Water Street, Key Plaza
Augusta, Maine 04433
Phone: (207) 287-5686
Fax: (207) 287-4172
E-mail: Clough.toppan@maine.gov
Injury Prevention program:
Katharyn B. Zwicker (207) 287-5359 Katharyn.b.zwicker@maine.gov
Rebecca Vigue (207) 287-1978 Rebecca.vigue@maine.gov - Maryland
Alan Taylor, Director
Office of Food Protection & Consumer Health Services
6 St. Paul Street, Suite 1301
Baltimore, MD 21202-1606
Phone: (410) 767-8402
Fax: (410) 333-8931
Email: pamelae@dhmh.state.md.us - Massachusetts
Ms. Cynthia Rodgers
Director, Injury Prevention and Control Program
Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street - 4th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-4619
Phone: (617) 624-5413
Fax: (617) 624-5075
Email: cindy.rodgers@state.ma.us - Michigan
Jeff Spitzley, Coordinator
Safe Kids Michigan
Michigan Dept. of Comm. Health
Injury & Violence Prevention Section
Washington Square Bldg.109 Michigan Avenue
Lansing, MI 48913
Ph: (517) 335-8131
Fax: (517) 335-8269
E-mail: spitzleyJ2@michigan.gov - Minnesota
Mr. Mark Kinde
Unit Leader, Epidemiologist Supervisor
Injury and Violence Prevention Unit
Minnesota Department of Health
85 East Seventh Place – Suite 400
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101
Phone: (651) 281-9832
Fax: (651) 215-8959
E-mail: Mark.kinide@health.state.mn.us - Mississippi
Mr. MacArthur Washington
Institutional Services
Department of Health
2423 No. State Street
P. O. Box 1700
Jackson, Mississippi 39215-1700
Phone: (601) 576-7689
Fax: (601) 576-7632
Email: mwashington@msdh.state.ms.us - Missouri
Joy Oesterly, Injury Prevention Director
Section of Maternal, Child and Family Health
Department of Health and Senior Services
930 Wildwood Drive / P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Phone: (573) 751-6215
Fax: (573) 526-5347
E-mail: oestej@dhss.mo.gov - Montana
Ms. Ruth Piccone, R.S.
Program Manager
Food and Consumer Safety Section
Department of Public Health and Human Services
1400 Broadway, Room C214
Helena, Montana 59620
Phone: (406) 444-5303
Fax: (406) 444-4135
E-mail: rpiccone@mt.gov - Nebraska
Peg Prusa-Ogea
Injury Prevention Program Coordinator
Nebraska Health and Human Services,Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
301 Centennial Mall, South
P.O. Box 95044
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: 402-471-3490
Fax: 402-471-6446
E-mail: peg.prusaogea@hhss.ne.gov - Nevada
Commissioner Patricia Jarman-Manning
Department of Business and Industry
Consumer Affairs Division
1850 East Sahara - Suite 120
Las Vegas, Nevada 89104
Phone: (702) 486-7355
Fax: (702) 486-7371
E-mail: pmjarman@fyiconsumer.org - New Hampshire
Ms. Rhonda Siegel, Chief
Injury Prevention Program
Bureau of Maternal & Child Health
Department of Health & Human Services
6 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301-5627
Phone: (603) 271-4520 / 4700
Fax: (603) 271-3827
E:Mail: rsiegel@dhhs.state.nh.us - New Jersey
Stephen Nolan
Acting Director, Division of Consumer Affairs
Department of Law and Public Safety
124 Halsey Street, 7th Floor
P.O. Box 45027
Newark, New Jersey 07101
Phone: (973) 504-6320
Fax: (973) 648-3538
Email: Stephen.nolan@lps.state.nj.us
Contact: Stanley Fischer
973-504-6335
Email: Stanley.fischer@lps.state.nj.us - New Mexico
Mr. John McPhee
Childhood Injury Prevention Coordinator
Public Health Division
Department of Health
2500 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
Phone: (505) 476-7858
Fax: (505) 476-7810
Email: johnm@doh.state.nm.us - New York
Ms. Mindy Bockstein
Chairperson & Executive Director
NY State Consumer Protection Board
5 Empire Plaza - Suite 2101
Albany, New York 12223
Phone: (518) 474-3514
Fax: (518) 474-2474
E:Mail: Webmaster@consumer.state.ny.us - North Carolina
Kelly Ransdell
Deputy Director, Prevention, Programs and Grants
NC Department of Insurance – Office of State Fire Marshal
1202 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699 – 1202
919-661-5880 ext 319
kransdel@ncdoi.net - North Dakota
Dawn Mayer
North Dakota Dept. of Health
Injury Prevention Program
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505-0200
Phone: (701) 328-4533
Fax: (701) 328-412
E-mail: drmayer@nd.gov - Ohio
Shaun K. Petersen
Senior Deputy Attorney General
Consumer Protection Section
Ohio Attorney General's Office
30 E. Broad Street, 14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Ph. # 614-752-7901
Fax # 614-466-8898
E-mail: sPetersen@ag.state.oh.us - Oklahoma
Ms. Tressa Madden
Director, Consumer Protection
1000 NE 10th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73117-1299
Phone: (405) 271-5243
Fax: (405) 271-3458
E-mail: tressam@health.ok.gov - Oregon
Ms. Jan Margosian
Consumer Information Coordinator
Financial Fraud. Department of Justice
100 Justice Building
Salem, Oregon 97310
Phone: (503) 378-4732
Fax: (503) 378-5017
E-mail: jan.margosian@doj.state.or.us - Pennsylvania
Paul Reichenbach
Public Education - Information Specialist
Office of the State Fire Commissioner
2605 Interstate Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 651-2203
Web: www.osfc.state.pa.us
Email: preichebach@state.pa.us - Puerto Rico
Alejandro García Padilla, Esq.
Secretary
Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO)
Minillas Governmental Ctr. Bldg.
P. O. Box 41059 - Minillas Station
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00940
Phone: (787) 721-0940Fax: (787) 726-0077
E:Mail: agarcia2@daco.gobierno.pr
Jesus Manuel Ortiz
Special Assistant
(787) 721-0940
Fax: (787) 726-0077
JOrtiz@daco.gobierno.prapalerm@daco.gobierno.pr
Fernando J. Bonilla, Sec of State - Rhode Island
Ann K. Thacher, MS
Chief, Health Promotion & Chronic Disease
Rhode Island Department of Health
3 Capitol Hill, Rm 409
Providence, RI 02908-5097
Tel: 401-222-7637
Fax: 401-222-4415
Email: AnnT@doh.state.ri.us - South Carolina
Ms. Brandolyn Pinkston
Administrator/Consumer Advocate
South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
3600 Forest Drive, 3rd Floor
Columbia, South Carolina 29204
Phone: (803) 734-4198
Fax: (803) 734-4287
E:Mail: pinkston@dca.state.sc.us - South Dakota
Ms. Doneen Hollingsworth
Secretary of Health
523 E. Capitol Avenue
Pierre, South Dakota 57501-3182
Phone: (605) 773-3361
Fax: (605) 773-5904
e-mail: doneen.hollingsworth@state.sd.us - Tennessee
E. Ross White
Assistant Director, Division of Consumer Affairs
Department of Commerce and Insurance
500 James Robertson Parkway, 5th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243-0600
Phone: (800)342-8385
Fax: (615) 532-4994
E-mail: Ross.White@state.tn.us - Texas
Ms. Annabelle R. Dillard, Manager
Environmental Health Group
Environmental and Consumer Safety Section
Division for Regulatory Services
Department of State Health Services
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, Texas 78756
Phone: (512) 834-6608
Fax: (512) 834-6707
E-mail: Annabelle.Dillard@dshs.state.tx.us - Utah
Director—Kevin Olson
Division of Consumer Protection
Heber M. Wells Building, 2nd Floor
160 East 300 South
P. O. Box 146704
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6704
Phone: (801) 530-6601
Fax: (801) 530-6650
E:mail: kolson@utah.gov - Vermont
Edith Munene
Health Promotion Specialist
Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention
Department of Health
108 Cherry Street - PO Box 70
Burlington, Vermont 05402
(802) 651-1978
FAX: (802) 863-7425
Email: emunene@vdh.state.vt.us - Virginia
Ms. Erima Fobbs
DirectorCenter for Injury & Violence Prevention VA Department of Health
109 Governor Street, 8th Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: (804) 864-7733
Fax: (804) 864-7748
Email: erima.fobbs@vdh.virginia.gov - Virgin Islands
Andrew Rutnik, Commissioner
Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs
Golden Rock Shopping Center
Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands 00820
Phone: (340) 773-2226
Fax: (340) 778-8250
Email: commissioner@dlca.gov.vi - Washington
Mary Borges
Injury Prevention Program Manager
Department of Health
PO Box 47832
Olympia, Washington 98504-7832
Phone: (360) 236-2861
Fax: (360) 236-2829
Email: mary.borges@doh.wa.gov - West Virginia
Ms. Jill Miles, Deputy Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
WV Attorney General Office
812 Quarrier Street,L & S Building, 6th Floor
P.O. Box 1789
Charleston, West Virginia 25326-1789
Phone: (304) 558-8986
Fax: (304) 558-0184
Email: Jillmiles@wvago.state.wv.us - Wisconsin
Ms. Michelle Reinen
Program & Planning Analyst
Division of Trade & Consumer Protection
P.O. Box 89112
811 Agriculture Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53704-6777
Phone: (608) 224-5160
Fax: (608) 224-4939
Email: Michelle.Reinen@datcp.state.wi.us - Wyoming
Vacant