If you follow the news at all, it’s likely you’ve heard of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and product recalls they’ve enforced – maybe a toy that poses a choking hazard because of small parts that can easily get loose, or blinds with faulty strings or hooded sweatshirts that raise a heightened risk of strangulation. It’s good the CPSC is on the case, and not a big leap to figure they’ve got a useful Web site. But if you’re going to be making an important purchase – whether it’s childrens’ pajamas, a mattress, a snowmobile or one of a few hundred other types of products the CPSC oversees – you owe it to yourself to do more than apprehend the occasional product recall news item that makes it into print or on the air. Take matters into your own hands: Actually use their robust database of product safety recall information.

The good news is, not only could it literally save your life or that of your loved ones, it’s quick and easy. And the upsurge in the selling of used goods – due not only to the down economy but also popular online marketplaces such as e-Bay, Amazon.com and Craig’s List – means buyers had better take extra precautions ensuring they’re not buying faulty goods.

The key starting point is the CPSC page titled “Product Recall And Safety News.” It lets you search and find recalled merchandise based on specific product type, company, product name/description, hazard type, country of origin, or month and year of recall. Each of the items returned in a given search is in hyper-linked text which leads you to a more detailed report about the specific product recall. When it comes to categories, you can opt for data sets showing recalls in broad categories such as infant/childrens’ (not including toys), toys, household, outdoor, sports and recreation, or specialty.

But a more focused approach is possible, and a time-saver.

Suppose you’re looking to buy a new or used snowmobile. First go to that “Find Recalled Products By Product Type” page, then select “snowmobiles,” and click “find” to view the results, arranged with most recent first. A recent check showed there were 43 product recalls issued over the years for snowmobiles (some covering several different models) and two more for accessories. Different hazards cited included laceration from projectiles, explosion, fire, loss of steering control, shock, drive axle failure, risk of injury to riders, explosion, and crash. For All Terrain Vehicles, there were 86 recall notices listed and two more for parts or accessories. Hazards cited included loss of control, crash, or fire. There’s plenty more recall information for many other products, such as clothes dryers, sports water bottles, decking materials, dehumidifiers, fire extinguishers, furnaces, hair dryers, hedge trimmers. hot water valves, hunting accessories, shoes/sandals/boots, smoke detectors, pressure washers and cell phones.

Specific recalls announced in April included a scuba diving buoyancy control device that could malfunction and cause drowning (20,000 units had been manufactured); inversion benches used for fitness training (33,000 units); outdoor propane gas fire columns sold through Costco (5,800) via a Hong Kong distributor; Chinese-made chrome shelving sold by Costco (6,800); and Crate And Barrel glass water bottles manufactured in the U.S. (44,200). CPSC is also working with other federal agencies and providing updated information here to the public on Chinese-made “problem drywall” believed to be connected with health problems or metal product corrosion among 3,082 homeowners in 37 U.S. states and several U.S. territories.

The CPSC has integrated social media “share” functionality into each product recall notice so you can easily post items of interest to your Twitter or Facebook pages. RSS and XML feeds are here.

Legitimate tips about defective products are welcomed by the CPSC, via online forms found here. The Commission also provides an online library to help consumers make purchases of certain types of products particularly prone to safety problems.

A final note: certain products such as vehicles, food and drugs, and chemicals are not under the CPSC’s jursidiction. Here is their rundown – with links – of where to turn.