Product safety: support for local authorities
Resources for local regulators.
If you are responsible for consumer product safety, you need to share information about product risks with the Office for Product Safety and Standards. Resources available to you include operational support and advice and training opportunities.
Reporting and responding to risks
You must notify OPSS if you:
- find a consumer product on the market which presents a serious risk (as determined by a risk assessment)
- receive a notification under Regulation 9 of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (“GPSR”)
- take action (including withdrawal or recall) to restrict the placing or availability on the market of a consumer product on the basis that it breaches the requirements of the GPSR
You should use the Product Safety Database to notify OPSS in respect of the above, and to notify products that are non-compliant with the relevant product safety legislation.
When submitting a notification, please ensure you attach all relevant documents, including images, risk assessments and test reports, where required. However, please note that you must only share personal data and other information on the database if you have the necessary consent or power to do so and acting in compliance with the law (including data protection and intellectual property law).
Read guidance on the notification of unsafe and noncompliant products
Read guidance on serious undesirable effect (SUE) and safeguarding notifications for cosmetics
Read guidance on the risk assessment of products that contain small, high-powered magnets
Product Safety Database
The Product Safety Database is a secure platform which enables local authorities and other market surveillance authorities to report and share product safety information and manage any resulting investigations.
Access the Product Safety Database
Each authority has a local administrator for the Product Safety Database. Please contact them if you need support accessing the database.
For further information on notifying OPSS, please visit the Product Safety Database where you will be able to find guidance, or for any additional queries, please contact opss.enquiries@beis.gov.uk.
Reports are published as required on products posing a risk to the health and safety of consumers:
OPSS Incident Management Plan
Our Incident Management Plan sets out the procedure we follow when managing consumer product safety incidents, in conjunction with local authorities, business and government. It covers:
- incident notification, definition and classification
- procedures for routine and non-routine incidents
- our engagement strategy
- command and control arrangements
Product safety: incident management plan
Operational support and advice
The Office for Product Safety and Standards provides advice and support to help local authorities regulate consumer product safety. This can involve policy, intelligence, risk assessment, investigation, product testing, technical documentation assessment, and consumer engagement.
To make an enquiry please email: opss.enquiries@beis.gov.uk
Product safety: list of regulations
Product safety for businesses: A to Z of industry guidance
Various other resources for local regulators are available on Regulators’ Companion, including reports, templates and learning opportunities.
Product safety - Regulators’ Companion website
Primary Authority
As a supporting regulator, we help primary authorities to produce advice for their partner businesses and co-ordinators relating to consumer product safety, or to develop and manage relevant inspection plans.
To request this support, please complete and return: Primary Authority support request template and service standards
Training opportunities
Courses for local authority practitioners are designed to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to work effectively with businesses and build consumer confidence in today’s challenging and evolving market place.
Product safety learning - Regulators’ Companion website
Last updated 7 April 2022 + show all updates
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Link to the reports of products posing a risk to the health and safety of consumers redirected to the new, searchable list of alerts, reports and recalls.
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Updated to incorporate changes to notifications.
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First published.