[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 10, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S3537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SENIOR SAFETY INITIATIVE

  Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the need to 
protect the safety and health of older Americans from hazards posed by 
consumer products. Since its inception in 1972, the Consumer Product 
Safety Commission CPSC has been tasked with protecting the public from 
unreasonable hazards posed by consumer products. Historically, the CPSC 
has not focused explicitly on seniors despite the aging population's 
vulnerability to these hazards. For example, a 2012 CPSC report found 
that Americans age 65 and older are nearly three times more likely to 
suffer a product-related injury that results in a visit to the 
emergency room than Americans between the ages of 25 and 64.
  On May 19, 2014, the CPSC introduced the Senior Safety Initiative. I 
commend the CPSC for taking on this important and timely project. The 
Senior Safety Initiative aims to reduce both the incidences of product-
related deaths, nearly 65 percent of which are suffered by seniors and 
the estimated 5 million injuries suffered by older adults. This 
initiative includes the creation of a mechanical and senior hazards 
team to monitor hazards associated with products intended for seniors, 
publication of a hazard screening report focused exclusively on 
seniors, and continues the CPSC's partnership with other agencies to 
reduce the death and injury associated with consumer products. In 
addition, the CPSC will join the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-
Related Statistics to work with other Federal agencies to improve the 
availability of aging-related data.
  In particular, the initiative aims to reduce hazards associated with 
adult portable bed rails. Between 2003 and 2012, the CPSC received 
reports of 174 deaths, 80 percent of which involved seniors over age 
60, and nearly 110,000 medically attended injuries involving adult 
portable bed rails. The collective costs associated with these injuries 
totaled around $250 million annually. The CPSC recently partnered with 
manufacturers, the Food and Drug Administration, and the voluntary 
standards community to develop the first-ever standard for adult 
portable bed rails. As the senior Senator of the State with the largest 
proportion of people above the age of 65, I welcome the CPSC's efforts 
to reduce injuries and deaths involving consumer products, particularly 
adult portable bed rails.
  Last month, in conjunction with the publication of the Senior Safety 
Initiative, the CPSC participated in Older Americans Month by 
partnering with the Administration for Community Living and other 
participating organizations to promote educational resources for 
seniors and their families about preventing hazards associated with 
household products often used by seniors and their caregivers.
  As chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, I know how 
important it is to protect the well-being of older Americans from 
unreasonable risks in their retirement years. As our aging population 
grows exponentially over the coming decades, it is imperative that we 
support initiatives like the CPSC's to enhance the safety, 
independence, and well-being of our older Americans.

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