Dear Chief Executive Officer Letter: Distribution of Information to Maternity Patients Regarding the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) E-mail Subscription, August 19, 2011

August 19, 2011

Dear Chief Executive Officer:

Effective May 1, 2011, section 2803-s of the Public Health Law was created requiring hospitals and birthing centers to distribute to each maternity patient at the time of pre-booking or admission, information detailing how parents or guardians of infants and children can subscribe to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) e-mail subscription lists to receive consumer product recall and safety news and other materials.

As an interim measure, the Department's Maternity Information Brochure (MIB) was updated to include the above stated Consumer Product Safety Commission's website and Consumer Hotline phone number which is currently on the HPN network and the Department's website at the following link: www.health.ny.gov/publications/2901.pdf

Facilities are encouraged to use their current supply of the brochure and attach the product recall information provided in this letter to the brochure.

In addition to the MIB brochure, the Department plans to promote in the near future a one-page leaflet in English that will satisfy the mission of this law.

Optional Resources

Facilities may use the optional resources below to distribute to maternity patients and other consumers, or incorporate the information to develop their own materials:

  • For up-to-date product recall safety news on items relating to child products and toys, sign up to be placed on the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Recall Subscription List by visiting their website at: https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx or phone their Toll-free Consumer Hotline: 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054). Call to obtain product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products. Hotline staff may be reached from 8:00 am - 5:30 pm ET. Messages may be left anytime after these hours. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products. You can find information on over 5,000 product recalls and recall alerts using the various searches noted above. If you see a recalled product available for sale online, e-mail the link to websafety@cpsc.gov

  • Link to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's website that provides parents and guardians a number of options for how to receive information on product recalls, in addition to access to other safety-related materials.
  • Maternity patients and interested consumers are also encouraged to sign-up to receive the New York State Department of Health's Bureau of Injury Prevention monthly e-newsletter for Product Safety information and other injury prevention news and events by sending a subscription request via email to injury@health.state.ny.us.
  • The New York State Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection offers toy safety resources in the link below, along with a list of childhood choking prevention tips, recall alerts and information on registering children's products. The website also features a KidsCorner page and newsletter to interest and engage young consumers. http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/educating/safety/safe_toys_ny.htm

Questions pertaining to the Product Safety Recall Information law may contact Julia Richards in the Department's Division of Certification and Surveillance at (518) 402-1003 or e-mail her at: jgr01@health.state.ny.us.

Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Hennessy
Director
Division of Certification and Surveillance