PRODUCT SAFETY LETTER View the entire issue in PDF format.

FOAM MAKERS GIVE UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE CONCERNS TO CPSC The Polyurethane Foam Association (PMA) July 28 told CPSC its concerns about the agency’s ongoing work on possible flammability standards for upholstered furniture.

CPSC’s CHINA WORK TO SEE AUGUST ATTENTION CPSC Voluntary Standard and International Activities Director Colin Church will attend part of an August 10-11 meeting in Washington D.C., which will be attended by CPSC’s China counterpart, the General Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

NHTSA NIXES CHANGING SAFETY SEAT LABEL COLORS The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) July 25 said its recent research on the labels of child safety seats found no need for changes related to color-coding.

CDC RESEARCH SHOWS DROP IN CHILD LEAD EXPOSURE The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) July 21 issued research that it said showed improvements in child lead exposure.

AUSTRALIANS ASSESS OUTBACK PRODUCT SAFETY The New South Wales Office of Fair Trading recently found good product safety compliance among retailers in and near the Australian desert town of Broken Hill.

AUSTRALIANS CONTINUE FOCUS ON HOT WATER BOTTLES The Products Safety Committee of the New South Wales Office of Fair Trading July 27 began an investigation into the product safety compliance of hot water bottles.

SWISS SAY FIREWORKS DANGER IS UNDERESTIMATED Switzerland’s Beratungsstelle f r Unfallverh tung (BFU, Advisory Board for Accident Prevention) July 25 warned that users can underestimate the risks associated with fireworks.

CANADIANS FOCUS ON POOL AND DROWNING RISKS Health Canada July 22 warned about swimming pool safety.

NORD FILLS OUT STAFF WITH ADDITION OF LAWYER Quin Dodd has joined the staff of recently-confirmed Commissioner Nancy Nord as a legal counsel.

EPA AND INDUSTRY TO ASSESS PFOA FROM INCINERATION The Environmental Protection Agency July 20 announced a consent-agreement program with manufacturers of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to test whether incineration of fluoropolymers and fluorotelomer-treated products are a source of environmental PFOA.

USFA REPORT REVIEWS SMOKING-RELATED HOUSE FIRES A report made public July 20 by the U.S. Fire Administration finds that although only 4% of residential fires were attributed to smoking material in 2002, such fires caused 19% of the residential fire deaths and 9% of the injuries that year.

CPSC BRIEFS Briefs on folding chairs (3 briefs), toy wagons, children's jackets, treadmills, ATVs, snowmobiles, fire extinguishers, handlebar extensions, CPSC meetings.

OTHER FEDERAL BRIEF Brief on child deaths.

STANDARDS & TESTING BRIEFS Briefs on seat lifts, vacuum cleaners (3 briefs), fire extinguishers, fire alarms, transformers, irons.

TRADE & INDUSTRY BRIEF Brief on Toy Fair 2006.

FOREIGN & INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Briefs on generators, diving gear, TVs, RAPEX.

STATE ACTIVITY BRIEFS Briefs on safety seats, lead.