Safe Shopping (Repost from 2007)

It's that time of year again, so I thought this old blog entry was worth repeating. ~Nancy


With all the recent recalls of toys and appliances and TV stands...how can you keep up with what's been recalled? Most stores do post notices of recalls of items they have sold. But what if you bought something months ago? Or received it as a gift?

There are a couple of websites that keep track of recalled items. The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers updates by RSS feed or email at their website: www.cpsc.gov. Recalls and notices from six federal agencies are collected at www.recalls.gov. Both sites have archives going back at least 10 years, in some categories the archives go back to the establishment of the agency in charge.

Also available on both sites are the safety guidelines each federal agency has established for various products. The CPSC site also offers tips for keeping safe while decorating for the holidays, the use of portable heaters, and other useful information to keep you and your family safe. Recalls.gov includes links to the six participating agencies' websites for even more helpful information.

Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday season!