Collection

Product safety research

Papers from the Office for Product Safety and Standards.

• From: Office for Product Safety and Standards
• Published: 5 October 2020
• Last updated: 27 January 2025 — See all updates

We commission and assure high quality, strategic science-based research to strengthen the evidence base for the development of product safety policy, delivery and enforcement.

Chemicals and materials in products

• Prostaglandin analogues in cosmetics
  • 5 December 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Use of metal and non-metal nanomaterials in consumer products
  • 25 November 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Fire risks of upholstered products
  • 1 August 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Action limits for heavy metal impurities in cosmetic products
  • 16 March 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Recycled materials in consumer products
  • 16 March 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Characteristics of modern domestic fire scenarios
  • 27 May 2022
  • Research and analysis

Construction products

• Construction product incident data
  • 20 January 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Construction products supply chain
  • 7 January 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Domestic clients undergoing construction work
  • 12 December 2024
  • Research and analysis

Consumers and vulnerability

• OPSS product safety and consumers: Wave 6
  • 7 November 2024
  • Research and analysis
• OPSS product safety and consumers: Wave 5
  • 14 December 2023
  • Research and analysis
• OPSS product safety and consumers: Wave 4
  • 14 December 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Upholstered garden furniture and baby travel products
  • 18 May 2023
  • Research and analysis
• OPSS product safety and consumers: Wave 3
  • 22 February 2023
  • Research and analysis
• OPSS product safety and consumers: Wave 2
  • 30 January 2023
  • Research and analysis
• OPSS product safety and consumers: Wave 1
  • 31 May 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Study into second-hand sales of electrical products
  • 25 May 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Historical product recall case study
  • 24 May 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Ageing Society: product design for older people
  • 21 May 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Consumer attitudes to fire safety information on furniture
  • 2 October 2020
  • Research and analysis
• Consumer attitudes to product safety
  • 2 October 2020
  • Research and analysis

Making regulation work better

• Product safety and industry: Wave 2
  • 14 December 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Noise testing of fireworks
  • 2 February 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Product safety and industry: Wave 1
  • 31 May 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Safety regulations: compliance study
  • 20 September 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Consumer behaviours and attitudes to fireworks in the UK
  • 17 May 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Insights into product recall effectiveness
  • 2 October 2020
  • Research and analysis
• Best practice in manual design: scoping study
  • 2 October 2020
  • Research and analysis
• Use of distributed ledger technologies to verify the provenance of goods
  • 2 October 2020
  • Research and analysis

The application of risk

• Psychological factors underpinning risk perceptions
  • 18 November 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Smart products: labelling, marketing, and framing
  • 2 March 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Bayesian product safety: summary report
  • 20 September 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Public perceptions of smart products: summary report
  • 20 September 2021
  • Research and analysis

The right evidence for the future

• Office for Product Safety and Standards Horizon Scan 1.0
  • 3 December 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Testing of vape batteries
  • 7 March 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Safety of smart domestic appliances
  • 1 March 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Safety of second life batteries in battery energy storage systems
  • 31 January 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Study on the impact of artificial intelligence on product safety
  • 23 May 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Home use of ultraviolet radiation disinfection products
  • 19 April 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Domestic battery energy storage systems
  • 2 October 2020
  • Research and analysis
• Safety of domestic virtual reality systems
  • 2 October 2020
  • Research and analysis
• 3D printing of spare parts for consumer domestic appliances: safety and legal implications
  • 2 October 2020
  • Research and analysis

Published 5 October 2020
Last updated 27 January 2025 + show all updates

1. 27 January 2025

   New construction products reports added.

2. 5 December 2024

   New reports added.

3. 11 November 2024

   New report added.

4. 23 January 2024

   Reports reordered into themes.

5. 14 December 2023

   New reports added.

6. 16 March 2023

   New reports added.

7. 7 March 2023

   New reports added.

8. 5 October 2020

   First published.