PRODUCT SAFETY LETTER View the entire issue in PDF format. (Print-only subscribers must CLICK HERE to log in.)

CERTIFICATION MOST NEEDED FOR IMPORTS, NORD TELLS SENATE The potential requirement that companies must certify that certain imports comply with safety rules and standards would be the most useful of the various provisions in the CPSC reauthorization bills, according to Acting Chairman Nancy Nord April 30.

CPSC IMPORT PLAN OUTLINES LAYERS OF PROTECTION CPSC is seeking comment by May 30 on a draft executive summary of its import safety strategy.

GAO URGES EPA TO REVAMP CHEMICAL REVIEW The government Accountability Office (GAO) April 29 criticized an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) process for evaluating the health effects of chemicals as “largely the same as the draft” that it criticized a few months ago.

ISPA SEEKS CPSC GUIDANCE ON CIGARETTE TESTS The International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) April 25 asked CPSC what it should do about the increasing difficulty of finding the necessary ignition source for cigarette flammability tests.

JAPAN DESIGNATES BATTERIES AS ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES Beginning November 20, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will enforce a new rule that designates lithium ion batteries as electrical appliances.

CPSC LAUNCHES MONTHLY EZINE CPSC April 29 launched an ezine called The Safety Review.

SAFE KIDS CELEBRATES SUCCESS A 20th anniversary study by Safe Kids USA April finds that deaths due to accidental injury among children 14 and under have dropped 45% since 1987.

SENATE APPOINTS CONFEREES ON CPSC REAUTHORIZATION The Senate April 29 appointed seven members to work with the House on reconciling the CPSC reauthorization bills that the chambers passed.

CPSC BRIEFS Briefs on table saws, beach chairs, lapel pins, hammocks, lawnmowers, space heaters, storage bins, Section 15, CPSC meeting logs, CPSC meetings.

OTHER FEDERAL BRIEF Brief on dinnerware.

STANDARDS & TESTING BRIEFS Briefs on candles, archery (2 briefs), upholstered furniture, fire tests, food cutters, hunting stands, heat alarms, flotation devices (2 briefs).

FOREIGN & INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Briefs on magnetic toys, children's sleepwear, counterfeits, silver polish, children's jackets, toys, baby carriers, RAPEX.