1000.21—Office of Compliance and Field Operations.
The Office of Compliance and Field Operations conducts compliance and administrative enforcement activities under all administered acts, provides advice and guidance on complying with all administered acts and reviews proposed standards and rules with respect to their enforceability. The Office's responsibilities also include identifying and addressing safety hazards in consumer products already in distribution, promoting industry compliance with existing safety rules, and conducting administrative litigation. It conducts field enforcement efforts, including providing program guidance, advice, and case guidance to field staff. It enforces the Consumer Product Safety Act reporting requirements. It reviews consumer complaints, conducts inspections and in-depth investigations, and analyzes available data to identify those consumer products containing defects posing a substantial risk of injury or which do not comply with existing safety requirements. The Office negotiates and monitors corrective action plans for products that are defective or fail to comply with specific regulations. It gathers information on product hazards that may be addressed through rulemaking or voluntary standards. The Office develops surveillance strategies and programs designed to assure compliance with Commission standards and regulations. The Office of Compliance and Field Operations also assists the Office of Information and Public Affairs in implementing consumer information activities nationwide, including wide-ranging public information and education programs designed to reduce consumer product injuries and deaths, and maintaining liaison with, and providing support to, other components of the Commission and appropriate State and local government offices.