CPSC Reveals Top 10 Reported Products

The 4.5 percent for toys doesn't take into consideration all the non-toy children's products, like cribs, sippy cups and apparel, also submitted to the site. And as we all know, thanks to CPSIA, "children's products" casts a wide net. Drinkware (plastic content), apparel (choking hazards) and bags (choking hazards) are all promotional products that could lead to injury and that, depending on the imprint, could be considered "primarily intended for children."

When you take into consideration all possible products, like the 8 percent of complaints for nursery items, over 10 percent of submissions have been for children's items. That's more than 660 complaints, and that means more attention, more scrutiny, and more risk for suppliers and distributors. It doesn't matter if it's not your logoed sippy cup that gets reported and appears on the news; it only takes one complaint to create a panic and jeopardize everyone's business.

How do you keep yourself safe from SaferProducts.gov? It's easy: sell compliant and certified products. Make sure the suppliers you source from are ones you trust. QCA-certified suppliers are a good option, but no matter where you look for products, make sure they have the proper testing certificates, as well as supply chain and factory audits.

No matter how innocuous an item, people will always find a way to hurt themselves; remind me to tell you about the time an umbrella sent me to the emergency room. (Actually, don't remind me.) You can't completely shield yourself from product liability, but you can do everything in your power to make injuries and complaints as unlikely as possible. Working with the right suppliers is a good place to start.