Senior agency official for Plain Writing: Eileen J. Williams, Attorney and Legal Editor
Specific types of agency communications that CPSC has released and made available in a format that is consistent with the Plain Writing guidelines:
Consumer-facing content:
The CPSC has adopted plain language as a core principle for all consumer-facing content. Thus, we endeavor to apply Plain Language principles to our consumer print and online materials, including brochures, Web content, public service announcements, press releases, blog posts, and other social media.
We follow Plain Language guidelines when creating written materials that:
- Help consumers report an unsafe product
- Notify the public about a recall
- Provide safety information to consumers
- Inform the public about the CPSC’s activities
- Advise small businesses about which consumer product safety rules may apply to their product
- Offer businesses guidance and education about testing and certification
- Inform businesses on how to comply with federal government safety regulations
- Education businesses about how to report a potentially unsafe product
- Supply regulatory updates via email
Examples include:
- Top Toy Lists Start with Safety, a blog
- Fireworks Safety: a 3-Step Guide to a Safer Celebration, a blog
- Swing, Slide, Have Fun, Play Safe! Playgrounds Shouldn’t Hurt, a blog
- Neighborhood Safety Network: Posters
- Safe Sleep for Babies
- Bicycle Helmets
- Clothing and Accessories
- Containers and Packaging
- Cribs
- Tool Kits on child safety, drowning prevention, fire safety, ATV safety, and carbon monoxide
Technical and specialized documents
Materials that CPSC staff may submit to scholarly journals or that are technical or specialized in their subject matter also are written with plain language principles in mind. Documents for regulated entities, for example, which provide information detailing obligations or setting forth guidelines on how to comply, may be complex. Nevertheless, CPSC staff strives to draft these documents so that the general consumer audience, as well as the targeted specialized audience can comprehend the content.
Regulations
CPSC endeavors to use plain language principles in proposed or final consumer protection regulations published by CPSC.
Examples of regulations drafted by CPSC in 2017 include:
- Fireworks (notice of proposed rulemaking)
- Clothing Storage Unit Tip Overs (advance notice of proposed rulemaking)
- Table Saws
- Phthalates Final Rule
- Final Rule Plastics Determinations
- Direct Final Rule F963 Update (January)
- Direct Final Rule F963 Update (November)
- Portable Generators
- Final Rule Bouncers
- Final Rule Bath Tubs
Inform agency staff of Plain Writing Act’s requirements
Eileen Williams, CPSC’s Senior Agency Official for Plain Language, attends employee orientation sessions, advising new hires of the plain language requirements. Each employee is given an Editor’s Tip Sheet with information on Plain English Principles, commonly misused terms, how to punctuate properly, how to hyphenate accurately, capitalization rules, common grammar pitfalls, and more. In addition, in 2017, the agency created and distributed CPSC’s Style and Reference Guide, which sets forth the agency’s requirements for style, grammar, punctuation, abbreviations, and more. In addition, Ms. Williams makes herself available to CPSC employees to review their writing and offer guidance on how to make use of plain writing principles to enhance their writing.
Training
Online Training
CPSC’s Talent Management System (TMS) offered more than a dozen free, online writing courses in 2017 that are available at any time for all CPSC employees. These courses cover an array of topics, including:
- The Plain Writing Act
- Business Writing: How to Write Clearly and Concisely
- Business Writing: Know Your Readers and Purpose
- Business Writing: Editing and Proofreading
- Business Grammar: The Mechanics of Writing
- Business Grammar: Sentence Construction
- Business Grammar: Parts of Speech
- Business Grammar: Punctuation
- Business Grammar: Working with Words
- Business Grammar: Common Usage Errors
- Final Exam: Business Writing Basics
- Writing for Technical Professionals: Preparing and Planning
- Writing for Technical Professionals: Effective Writing Techniques
- Writing Under Pressure: The Writing Process
Live (in-person classes)
In 2017, CPSC offered four on-site live training classes, comprising 25 hours of classroom instruction. The classes offered were:
- How to Write Business Email that Gets Results (3 hours)(2/16/17)(Presented by E-Write LLC)
- Plain Language in Action: Five Strategies for Cleaning the Clutter from Your Writing (Presented by E-Write LLC)(3 hours)(2/16/17)
- How to Write Your Accomplishments (3 hours)(2/8/17)(Presented by Dr. Alice Thaler, CPSC)
- The Business of Writing (2-days)(6/26/17)(Presented by the Small Agency Council)
- Plain Language in Action: 5 Strategies for Cleaning Clutter from Your Writing (half-day course)(2/16/17)
Reporting:
CPSC’s Plain Writing Official will periodically report on the agency’s use of plain writing, specifically through this document.
Customer Satisfaction:
We have not received any feedback on our Plain Writing communications through the portal provided on our Plain Language Web page.