CPSC and Voluntary Standards: What's In and What's Out
Concern about reduction in CPSC's voluntary standards activity this year -- it's cut more than half of the projects to shift staff and resources to CPSIA implementation -- was among the issues raised by stakeholders at last week's hearing on the agency's agenda, priorities and strategic plan. (Extensive coverage of the hearing is in the current edition of our premium sister service, Product Safety Letter). But that raises the question of what's in and what's out. In July, Product Safety Letter gave readers the head's up. Here's what we wrote:
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CPSC's July report on its voluntary standards activity in the first half of fiscal 2009 (October to March) confirms that the agency has cut more than half of its projects. In the previous edition of the report (PSL, 1/19/09, p. 1), which reviewed the latter half of fiscal 2008, the agency gave updates on 75 projects. This time it reported on 31 projects. The reason? According to the report, "In 2009, the number of voluntary standards activities in which staff participated was limited to focus agency resources on regulatory activities associated with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act."
Highlights include:
Bassinets and Cradles: CPSC staff is participating in ASTM F2194 work on entrapment in fabric-covered units and on bedside sleepers, including two new subcommittees established in March 2009 on bedding deaths and rocking incidents.
Bath Seats: CPSC staff is participating in ASTM F1967 work on consistency with the infant tub standard and providing incident data, including telling the panel in March 2009 that the agency was expecting in August 2009 to consider a draft notice of proposed rulemaking under the CPSIA.
Bed Rails: CPSC staff is participating in ASTM F2085 work on breakage, design guidelines, marking, labeling, and clarified test procedures, including discussion in March 2009 about letter sizes in warnings and locking mechanism failures.
Bicycles: CPSC staff participated in development of a new F2043-09 (January 2009) and a revised F1975-09, (February 2009), including changes related to restraint systems and structural integrity.
Blind Cords: CPSC staff is participated in development of a revised ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2009 with changes on Roman shade hangtag warnings.
Booster Seats: CPSC staff is participating in revising ASTM F2640-07, including March 2009 discussion of labeling and restraint performance.
Cribs: CPSC staff participated in work on ASTM F2710 (commercial cribs), including March 2009 discussion of evacuation requirements; ASTM F1169 (full sized), including March 2009 discussion of warnings and drop-side units; and ASTM F406-08 (non-full sized), including on metric dimensions, attachment openings and other issues.
Furniture: CPSC staff participated in the February 2009 approval of ASTM F2057-09, including provisions related to labeling, lid supports, and finishes/materials.
Generators, Portable: CPSC staff participated in the March 2009 approval of a new UL 2201, including provisions related to GFCIs, receptacle protection and other issues.
Helmets, Recreational: CPSC staff participated in the January 2009 approval of a revised F1952-09 (mountain biking), including changes related to chin bar tests and other issues; and a new F2727-09 (labeling), including provision related to labeling and instructions.
High Chairs: CPSC staff is participating in revision of ASTM F404, including March 2009 discussion of restraint requirements and children climbing out.
Infant Carriers, Frame: CPSC staff is participating in revision to ASTM F2549, including March 2009 discussion of warnings and test equipment.
Infant Carriers, Handheld: CPSC staff is participating in revision to ASTM F2050, including March 2009 discussion of handle integrity.
Infant Carriers, Soft: CPSC staff is participating in revision to ASTM F2236, including March 2009 discussion of warnings and test equipment.
Infant Gates: CPSC staff is participating in work on ASTM F1004, including March 2009 discussion of push-out tests and adults tripping.
Infant Swings: CPSC staff in October will participate in discussion of ASTM F2088-08.
Infant Tubs: CPSC staff participated in the January 2009 approval of a new ASTM F2670-09.
Infant Walkers: CPSC is participating in discussion of ASTM F977, including regulation by the CPSIA.
Ladders: CPSC staff participated in March 2009 approval of a revised ANSI A14.14 (job-made wooden), including provisions related to lumber grades, engineering, and other issues. It also is participating in discussion of A14.1 (wooden), A14.5 (plastic reinforced), A14.10 (special duty), and A14.7 (mobile ladder stands).
Playground Equipment, Home: CPSC staff is monitoring ASTM F1148.
Playground Surfacing: CPSC staff participated in the March 2009 approval of a revised ASTM F1915-09 (accessibility), including changes related to use zones.
Smoke Alarms: CPSC staff is participating in UL 217 work on nuisance alarms, sensitivity and labeling and in NFPA 72 review of ionization versus photoelectric performance and placement.
Stationary Activity Centers: CPSC staff is participating in review of ASTM F2012, including March 2009 discussion of hazards associated with units that rotate around a central post.
Strollers: CPSC is participating in review of ASTM F833-07, including March 2009 discussion of passive containment and on excluding children's vehicles with caregiver handles.
Toddler Beds: CPSC is participating in review of ASTM F1821, including March 2009 discussion of entrapment probe tests and warnings.
Toys: CPSC staff is participating in review of ASTM F963, including March 2009 discussion of the role of the CPSIA, impact hazards, magnets, projectiles, age ranges, metric conversions, ride-on stability, and toy seat definition.
Treestands: CPSC staff participated in the February 2009 approval of a revised ASTM F2123-09 (instructions), including changes related to suspension relief devices.
Window Guards: CPSC completed projects to revise ASTM F2090 (emergency escape) and F2006 (non-emergency escape), with changes in both related to opening control devices, installation instructions and performance tests.
Youth Folding Chairs: CPSC staff is participating in review of ASTM F2613-07, including March 2009 discussion of scissoring and locking device requirements.
Projects excluded from the list this time were those on air cleaners; air mattresses; ATVs; amusement rides, portable; arc-fault circuit interrupters; artificial turf; batteries; bunk beds; cabinet heaters/cylinders; candles; CO alarms; changing tables; child-resistant packaging; electric lighting; emergency escape masks; extension cords; fans, portable; fuel tanks; garage doors; gasoline containers; ground-fault circuit-interrupters; heaters, electric; hot tubs/spas; infant bedding/accessories; infant bouncers; inflatables, constant air; lead in children's PVC products; lighters; mowers; National Electrical Code; playground equipment, public; pool alarms; pool suction release devices; pools and spas; portable pools; pressure cookers; range extinguishing systems; ranges; scooters, motorized; soccer goals; table saws; turkey fryers; vented gas appliances/CO sensors.
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