This law was one of Congress's first forays into consumer protection, and it helped to pave the way for the explosion in consumer protection legislation that began in the mid-1960s. The Hazardous Substances Labeling Act was passed in 1960 (the word "Labeling" was deleted by the 1966 amendments the act). The law authorized the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) to require warning labels for household substances that were deemed hazardous. These substances were categorized as: toxic, corrosive, irritant, strong sensitizer, flammable or combustible, pressure generating, or radioactive. The law does not cover pesticides (which are regulated by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act); food, drugs, or cosmetics (which are covered by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act); radioactive materials related to nuclear power; fuels for cooking, heating, or refrigeration; or tobacco products.

A product is defined to be...