PRODUCT SAFETY LETTER View the entire issue in PDF format.

COMMISSIONERS APPROVE GENERATOR ANPR CPSC members December 5 voted 2-0 to approve an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) for portable generators risks, especially carbon monoxide (CO).

CPSC LEARNED OF 694 ATV DEATHS IN 2005 CPSC data made available December 6 show that in 2005 the agency received 694 reports of deaths associated with all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

LIGHTER ASSN. URGES MORE CPSC ENFORCEMENT Representatives of the Lighter Association December 6 urged commissioners to act to strengthen U.S. enforcement of cigarette lighter standards.

PENDING ANPR COULD RESULT IN BAN OF LEAD IN KID’S JEWELRY CPSC commissioners are slated to vote by December 11 on whether to issue an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to consider a staff recommendation to ban toy jewelry with more than 0.06% lead by weight

NAVY REPORT GIVES CPSC IDEAS FOR LITHIUM ION BATTERIES A CPSC-sponsored draft report made public November 29 outlines numerous considerations for improving the safety of lithium ion cell phone batteries.

EUROPEANS AGREE TO ‘REACH’ COMPROMISE A meeting of delegates from the European Parliament and European Council December 1 negotiated compromises on REACH.

AUDITOR QUESTIONS HEALTH CANADA ACTIVITY Canada’s Auditor General November 28 said there are problems in how Health Canada allocates funds and how it sets performance goals for its regulatory activity, including product safety.

EU GIVES GUIDANCE ON LIGHTER RULES The European Commission December 1 issue guidelines that give advice on complying with Europe’s upcoming rules for cigarette lighters.

CPSC MAY SEEK INPUT ON CHANGING CLOTHING TEXTILE RULES CPSC commissioners were slated December 8 as PSL went to press to vote on whether to direct staff to prepare a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) to seek comments on amending rules for clothing textile flammability.

CPSC GOT 416 YO-YO BALL REPORTS SINCE DECEMBER 2002 CPSC has received 27 reports in the past two years of incidents associated with yo-yo balls, according to a report made available November 27.

PETITION SEEKS USE OF ‘DETONATOR’ IN PLACE OF ‘BLASTING CAP’ CPSC members voted 2-0 November 30 to approve a Federal Register notice seeking comments on a petition that asks for changes to warnings for explosives at 16 CFR 1500.83.

CPSC GETS POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON NURSING-PILLOW PETITION CPSC received mostly positive comments on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking that could exempt certain nursing pillows from the ban on infant pillows and cushions.

CALIFORNIA EYES CHANGES TO UL AIR CLEANER STANDARDS The California Air Resources Board (CARB) would amend UL 867, Electrostatic Air Cleaners, in making rules governing ozone emission from indoor air cleaners.

CPSC BRIEFS Briefs on air rifles, furniture, door locks, children's jackets, pressure cookers, air conditioners, children's necklaces, holiday safety, CPSC meetings.

OTHER FEDERAL BRIEF Brief on falls.

STANDARDS & TESTING BRIEFS Briefs on nanotechnology, counterfeit products, electrical products, lightning protection, busyways, cables, pressure cookers, conduit, supplementary protectors, duct heaters, glass, air conditioners, lighting systems.

RESEARCH & JOURNALS BRIEFS Briefs on bike helmets, fire extinguishers, lead poisoning, child passenger safety.

FOREIGN & INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Briefs on fireworks, EU consumer policy, toys, candles, candle holders, light chains, toy trains, toy train sets, luggage straps, extension cords, Christmas trees, light chains, RAPEX.

STATE ACTIVITY BRIEFS Briefs on toys, riding toys, holiday safety.