Carbon Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum and Request for Information, 21442-21446 [2014-08607]
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[FR Doc. 2014–08555 Filed 4–15–14; 8:45 am]
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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY
COMMISSION
[CPSC Docket No. CPSC–2014–0009]
Carbon Monoxide/Combustion Sensor
Forum and Request for Information
Consumer Product Safety
Commission.
ACTION: Announcement of meeting and
request for information.
AGENCY:
The Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC, Commission, or we)
is announcing that the CPSC intends to
hold a forum on carbon monoxide/
combustion sensors. Through this
announcement, we are also issuing a
Request for Information (RFI) seeking
information on the availability of
sensors that are capable of: (1) Operating
within the flue passageways of a gas
appliance or similar environment; (2)
directly or indirectly monitoring carbon
monoxide levels or other gases or
environmental conditions associated
with the production of dangerous levels
of carbon monoxide; and (3) providing
a shutdown or other preemptive signal
in response to dangerous levels of
carbon monoxide. We invite interested
parties to provide information
responsive to the RFI and to attend and
participate in the forum and to submit
comments responsive to the forum
agenda.
SUMMARY:
The forum will be held from 9:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 3, 2014.
Individuals interested in serving on
panels at the forum should register by
May 9, 2014; all other individuals who
wish to attend the forum should register
by May 23, 2014. Written comments
will be received until July 7, 2014.
ADDRESSES: The forum will be held at
the CPSC’s National Product Testing
and Evaluation Center, 5 Research
Place, Rockville, MD 20850. There is no
charge to attend the forum. Persons
interested in serving on a panel or
attending the forum should register
online at: https://www.cpsc.gov/
meetingsignup.html, and click on the
link titled, ‘‘Carbon Monoxide/
Combustion Sensor Forum.’’ For those
who are unable to attend, the forum will
also be webcast.
You may submit written comments,
identified by Docket No. CPSC–2014–
0009, by any of the following methods:
DATES:
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic comments in the
following way:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
The Commission does not accept
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comments submitted by electronic mail
(email), except through
www.regulations.gov. The Commission
encourages you to submit electronic
comments by using the Federal
eRulemaking Portal, as described above.
Written Submissions
Submit written comments in the
following way:
Mail/Hand delivery/Courier,
preferably in five copies, to: Office of
the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety
Commission, Room 820, 4330 East West
Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814;
telephone (301) 504–7923.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
docket number for this notice. All
comments received may be posted
without change, including any personal
identifiers, contact information, or other
personal information provided, to
https://www.regulations.gov. Do not
submit confidential business
information, trade secret information, or
other sensitive or protected information
electronically. Such information should
be submitted in writing.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments received, go to: https://
www.regulations.gov and insert the
docket number CPSC–2014–0009 into
the ‘‘Search’’ box, and follow the
prompts.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ronald Jordan, Division of Combustion
and Fire Sciences, Directorate for
Engineering Sciences, 5 Research Place,
Rockville, MD 20850, telephone 301–
987–2219, email: rjordan@cpsc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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I. Background
a. Hazards Associated with Vented Gas
Heating Appliances
Vented gas heating appliances
provide comfort heat to consumers in
single- and multifamily dwellings, as
well as in schools, motels/hotels, and
nursing homes; burn natural gas or
propane as a fuel; and exhaust the byproducts of combustion from the
appliance to the outdoors through a vent
system or chimney. Vented gas heating
appliances include gas furnaces, boilers,
wall furnaces, and floor furnaces. When
these appliances experience certain
failure modes or conditions, dangerous
levels of carbon monoxide (CO) can be
produced.
CO is a by-product of the incomplete
combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, such
as natural gas, propane and oil.
Incomplete combustion in a vented gas
heating appliance can occur when too
much fuel or inadequate air for
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combustion are supplied to the burner,
or when the burner flame temperature is
reduced below the ignition temperature
of the fuel. When the flue passageways
and venting systems of appliances are
intact and properly installed and
maintained, CO that results from
incomplete combustion is safely vented
to the outdoors. However, when a
compromised flue passageway or
venting system (e.g., a separated flue, a
disconnected vent, or a hole in a vent)
creates a leakage path, CO can enter the
living space and present a hazard to
consumers.
b. Incident Data
We analyzed death certificate data
compiled by the National Center for
Health Statistics (NCHS) and death
certificates purchased by the CPSC from
the 50 states, the District of Columbia,
and New York City to estimate the
number of CO poisoning deaths
associated with vented gas heating
appliances. According to this analysis,
for the 12-year period from 1999 to
2010, there were a total estimated 369
non-fire CO poisoning deaths associated
with central gas furnaces/boilers, wall
furnaces, and floor furnaces. This
analysis also revealed that for the years
2008 through 2010, an annual estimated
25 non-fire CO poisoning deaths were
associated with these types of
appliances.
CPSC staff conducted a review of InDepth Investigations (IDIs) of non-firerelated CO incidents associated with gas
furnaces and boilers: https://www.cpsc.
gov/PageFiles/130036/Updated_IDI_
review_CO_and_modern_furnaces_and_
boilers.pdf. The IDI review covered the
years 2002 through 2009, and revealed
83 incidents associated with carbon
monoxide poisoning and gas furnaces
and boilers that were determined to
have been manufactured after 1987. In
73 of the 83 incidents, the investigating
authorities were able to identify the
failure mode of the furnace or boiler.
Thirty-one of the incidents involved the
breach, disconnection, or blockage of
the vent, chimney, or heat exchanger. In
three of the incidents, reports identified
the failure mode as improper venting;
and in an additional three incidents, the
failure mode was depressurization or
back drafting. An additional 36
incidents were associated with
miscellaneous or multiple failure
modes. There were 44 fatalities
associated with these 83 CO poisoning
incidents.
c. CPSC Staff’s Activities Regarding
Sensor Testing
Despite safety improvements made to
the gas appliance voluntary standards in
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the 1980s, the governing standards for
gas-fired central furnaces (ANSI
Z21.47), gas-fired boilers (ANSI Z21.13),
and gas-fired wall and floor furnaces
(ANSI Z21.86) do not protect against
many of the failure modes or conditions
observed to cause or contribute to CO
exposure incidents.
1. CPSC’s Activities with Voluntary
Standards Organizations
For more than a decade, CPSC staff
has worked with voluntary standard
organizations to encourage including
CO shutoff requirements in voluntary
standards. In 2000, to address CO
poisoning risks, CPSC staff
recommended that the governing
voluntary standard group, the ANSI
Z21.47 Central Furnace Subcommittee,
add a provision to the ANSI furnace
standard that would require a means to
prevent furnaces from producing
concentrations of CO in excess of 400
parts per million (ppm) (the carbon
monoxide emission limit set forth in the
voluntary standard for gas furnaces,
ANSI Z21.47) or cause the shutdown of
furnaces in response to those CO levels.
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/106498/
Letter_ANSI_Z21.47_COemissions_
furnace2_to_5_CO_shutoff_
proposal.pdf.
In 2001, CPSC staff began
investigating combustion gas sensing
technologies that might be used to
detect CO in appliance flue passageways
and provide a shutoff or some other
preemptive response to dangerous levels
of CO. CPSC staff tested sensor
technologies to demonstrate the ability
of CO/combustion sensors to provide
detection and shutdown response to CO
concentrations in excess of 400 ppm. At
the conclusion of this testing, CPSC staff
determined that existing CO sensor
technology could be used to detect CO
concentrations in excess of 400 ppm in
vented gas heating appliances and shut
down the appliance. https://www.cpsc.
gov/PageFiles/98232/Furnace_
combustion_sensor_test_results.pdf.
CPSC staff provided these test results to
the Z21.47 furnace subcommittee to
support CPSC staff’s earlier proposal
that the furnace standard be revised to
require that vented gas heating
appliances be required to detect
dangerous levels of CO and shut down
if high levels of CO are detected.
The Z21.47 subcommittee referred
CPSC’s CO shutoff proposal to the ANSI
Z21/83 Technical Committee (Technical
Committee), which in 2002, established
the ANSI Z21/83 Ad Hoc Working
Group for CO Combustion Sensors
(AHWG). AHWG was tasked with
developing test and work plans to
evaluate the feasibility of using gas and
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combustion sensing technologies for CO
shutoff of furnaces and other vented gas
heating appliances and, if warranted,
begin development of an appropriate
standard.
CPSC staff worked with the AHWG
from 2002 through 2004 to complete the
test criterion. The Technical Committee
met in September 2005, and decided not
to pursue CO/combustion sensor testing,
citing concerns that there were no
commercially available sensors that
were:
(1) Durable enough to withstand the
furnace operating environment, or
(2) had the expected life span (e.g., 15
years) of a furnace.
In response to the Technical
Committee’s decision not to pursue CO
sensor testing, CPSC staff conducted a
test program from 2007 through 2008 to
evaluate the durability and longevity of
sensors operating in a gas furnace
environment. https://www.cpsc.gov/Page
Files/129834/CO_sensor_durability_
and_longevity_testing.pdf. The purpose
of the test program was to address the
concerns about sensor durability and
longevity raised by the Technical
Committee at their 2005 meeting.
Therefore, the testing only included
those portions of the test criteria
developed by the AHWG relevant to
durability and longevity. The test results
demonstrated the availability of
chemical sensors capable of
withstanding the harsh operating
environment of a furnace and
potentially surviving throughout the life
span of the furnace. Based on the results
of this testing, CPSC staff concluded
that the inclusion of a CO shutoff
requirement in the voluntary standard
was technologically feasible. CPSC staff
shared the report on the test results with
the Technical Committee, as well as the
Technical Advisory Groups (TAG) for
gas furnaces (ANSI Z21.47 TAG) and gas
boilers (ANSI Z21.13 TAG).
2. Gas Technology Institute Report
In 2011, the Gas Technology Institute
(GTI) (a research, development and
training organization that develops
technology-based solutions in the
natural gas and energy fields for
industry, government and consumers)
prepared a report titled, ‘‘Technical
Feasibility Study Carbon Monoxide
Sensing Safety Systems for Appliances’’
(GTI Report). https://www.ari.org/App_
Content/ahri/files/RESEARCH/
Technical%20Results/AHRI-8001%20
Final%20Report.pdf.
The purpose of the GTI Report was to
‘‘establish a technical baseline for
considering the practical feasibility of
integrating CO sensors into gas
appliances, and to identify critical areas
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needing further development or
research.’’ According to the GTI Report,
there are several factors that prevent CO
sensors from functioning properly when
used in a gas-fired appliance:
• The temperature and humidity
conditions in the flue or combustion
chamber;
• the presence of contaminants in the
flue or combustion chamber; and
• the short life span of CO sensors (6
years) when compared to the life span
of gas-fired appliances (20 years).
The GTI Report concluded that
‘‘extensive research is required before
current designs of CO sensors would be
able to operate in the combustion
chamber or the flue of a gas-fired
appliance for a length of time for use as
a safety or combustion control device.’’
This conclusion is inconsistent with the
results of CPSC staff’s sensor testing that
in CPSC staff’s view demonstrated the
availability of chemical sensors capable
of withstanding the harsh operating
environment of a furnace and
potentially surviving throughout the life
span of the furnace.
II. Request for Information
a. Purpose
We request information to help CPSC
staff gain a broader understanding of the
availability and the state of the art of all
sensor technologies that are capable of
being used within the heat exchangers,
flue passageways, and/or vent systems
of vented gas heating appliances to shut
down the appliance in response to
dangerous levels of CO in these areas of
the appliance or upon detection of
incomplete combustion conditions that
can lead to the production of dangerous
levels of CO.
CPSC is interested in information
regarding sensor technologies that:
• Determine CO concentration by
directly measuring CO levels;
• determine CO concentration
indirectly by measuring other
combustion gases, such as carbon
dioxide, oxygen, or unburned natural
gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas),
or environmental conditions, such as
temperature, humidity, or displacement;
and
• detect incomplete combustion
conditions that could result in the
production of dangerous levels of CO.
We are also interested in sensor
technologies at various stages of product
life-cycle development, including:
• full-scale production models
• prototypes that are less than 2 years
from full-scale production; and
• prototypes between two and 5 years
from full-scale production.
CPSC staff is aware that CO/
combustion sensing technology is
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already in use with vented gas heating
appliances in Japan and believes that
actions such as including this
technology in vented gas heating
appliances in the United States could
help reduce the risks of death and injury
associated with CO exposure from these
products. CPSC staff would like to learn
more about Japan’s experience with this
technology, and we expect that
responses to the request for information
will provide helpful information in this
regard. CPSC will use information
gained from responses to the RFI and
from the forum to determine future
work to reduce the risks of death and
injury associated with CO exposure.
b. Information Requested
In preparing information or comments
for the RFI and for consideration at the
forum, commenters should be aware of
the typical operating environment of a
vented gas appliance and some basic
operating requirements of a CO/
combustion sensor cited in the table
below. Response range and maximum
exposure limits for sensors that detect
other target gases or environmental
conditions will vary.
Criteria
Range
Temperature ..........................
¥40 to 500
degrees F
0 to 100%
0 to 400 ppm
3000 ppm
Humidity ................................
CO Sensor Response Range
Maximum CO Sensor Exposure.
Lifespan .................................
Accuracy ...............................
Supply voltage to sensor ......
5, 10,15, & 20
years
5%
0 to 10 VDC;
0 to 24 VAC
CPSC staff is particularly interested in
receiving the following information:
• Detailed descriptions of gas or
environmental condition sensors that
the commenter currently manufactures
or has developed or worked with, and
that are used or capable of being used
for an in-flue application, or similar
environment, to shut off vented gas
heating appliances reliably when
dangerous levels of CO or incomplete
combustion are detected.
Æ Data from completed testing that
demonstrates the capability of the
sensors to operate within the flue
passageways of vented gas heating
appliances, or similar environments,
and the expected life of sensors
installed in these appliances or similar
environments.
Æ Quantitative Accelerated Life
Testing (QALT) data that demonstrate
the sensors’ ability to perform reliably
when installed in gas heating
appliances; and/or
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Æ Mean Time Between Failure
(MTBF) data and other sensor life data
at normal and overstress use conditions.
• Detailed descriptions of prototype
gas or environmental condition sensors
that the commenter has developed,
worked with, or expects to be ready for
full-scale production within 1 to 2 years
and that are capable of being used for
an in-flue application, or similar
environment, to shut off vented gas
heating appliances reliably when
dangerous levels of CO or incomplete
combustion are detected.
Æ Preliminary or intermediate data of
completed testing or testing the
commenter expects to complete within
the next 1 to 2 years that demonstrates
the capability of the sensors to operate
within the flue passageways of vented
gas heating appliances, or similar
environments, and the expected life of
sensors installed in these appliances or
similar environments should be
provided.
Æ QALT data that demonstrate the
sensors’ ability to perform reliably when
installed in vented gas heating
appliances; and/or
Æ MTBF data and other sensor life
data at normal and overstress use
conditions.
• Plans for testing or development
that the commenter intends to pursue
during the next 1 to 2 years that may
demonstrate that a gas or environmental
condition sensor is capable of being
used for an in-flue application, or
similar environment, to shut off gas
heating appliances reliably when
dangerous levels of CO or incomplete
combustion are detected.
Æ Plans to conduct QALT to
substantiate the sensor’s ability to
perform properly when installed in a
vented gas heating appliance, or similar
environment, and to measure MTBF and
other sensor life data at normal and
overstress conditions.
• Past, present, or future (i.e., within
the next 1 to 2 years) efforts to market
the above-described gas or
environmental condition sensors to the
gas appliance industry or other
industries with similar operating
environments (e.g., automotive
industry).
• The current or estimated wholesale
cost of gas or environmental condition
sensors supplied to an appliance
manufacturer or an end user with a
similar operating environment for fullscale production (if available).
III. Carbon Monoxide/Combustion
Sensor Forum
The forum will take place on June 3,
2014. The forum will be comprised of a
plenary session and technological
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solutions sessions (detailed in section
III. b.) The first session will discuss
hazard patterns that lead to CO
exposure, available mechanisms that
exist to address the hazards, and efforts
over the years to address the hazards.
This session will serve as background
and provide the context for the
afternoon sessions.
The subsequent sessions will focus on
possible technological solutions to
address the hazard, barriers to further
development of technologies for an influe shutoff application (i.e., a sensor
located within the heat exchanger or
flue passageways of a gas heating
appliance that will shut off the
appliance when elevated levels of CO
are detected), and cooperation among
stakeholders. Each session will provide
interested parties the opportunity to
present their research, developments, or
expert knowledge on the topic area.
Each session will conclude with time
for open discussion and questions and
answers led by CPSC staff moderators.
a. What do we hope the forum will
accomplish?
Current voluntary standards do not
address all failure mechanisms that are
known to result in CO exposure from
vented gas heating appliances. CPSC
staff successfully demonstrated the
concept of using CO shutoff sensors in
a gas furnace in 2001and 2004 (https://
www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/98232/
Furnace_combustion_sensor_test_
results.pdf; https://www.cpsc.gov/Page
Files/103897/Combustion_sensor_test_
results.pdf), and the durability of some
sensors to operate in the harsh
environment of a gas furnace, possibly
for the life of the appliance in 2012
(https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/129834/
CO_sensor_durability_and_longevity_
testing.pdf).
Based on the results of this testing,
CPSC staff believes that CO and other
gas/environmental condition sensors are
technically feasible solutions that could
address risks and related deaths and
injuries associated with vented gas
heating appliances. However, CPSC staff
would like to obtain additional
information to build a broader
understanding of sensor technologies
currently available and under
development, as well as any barriers to
using these technologies in a vented gas
heating appliance. CPSC staff invites
sensor manufacturers, appliance
manufacturers, standards organization
representatives, consumer groups, and
other stakeholders to participate in the
Carbon Monoxide/Combustion Sensor
Forum.
The goals of the forum are:
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1. To inform forum attendees of the
hazards identified by CPSC staff and
efforts made so far to address the
hazards of CO poisoning from vented
gas heating appliances;
2. To gain a broader understanding of
the scope, state of the art, and
availability of sensor technologies being
used in, or capable of being used in, an
in-flue shut off application or similar
harsh environments;
3. To gain a better understanding of
the scope, state of development, and
availability of prototype gas or
combustion sensors that may be
commercially available within 1 to 5
years and that are capable of being used
in an in-flue shut off application or
similar harsh environments;
4. To gain a better understanding of
potential barriers to further
development and commercialization of
sensors used in, or capable of being
used in, an in-flue shut off application
or similar harsh environments;
5. To gain a better understanding of
potential failure modes likely to be
encountered in using gas sensors in an
in-flue shut off application or similar
harsh environments and strategies to
mitigate those failure modes;
6. To gain a better understanding of
the expected life of sensors used in an
in-flue shut off application or similar
harsh environments; and
7. To encourage development of
technological solutions to the stated
problem among forum attendees and to
foster cooperative relationships among
forum attendees to achieve those
solutions.
b. What topics will be addressed at the
forum?
The forum will focus on various
technological means of reducing the risk
of CO exposure from vented gas heating
appliances under a variety of
conditions. We recommend that all
potential panelists consider this general
theme when preparing for the forum.
We list suggested topics below. CPSC
staff reserves the right to include or
decline topics based on whether staff
believes the topics will aid the forum
objectives or fit within the time
constraints of a 1-day event.
Forum Topic Areas
1. CPSC and stakeholder efforts to
address CO hazards resulting from
malfunctioning gas heating appliances.
• Suggested topics:
Æ Results of testing of CO sensing
technology for functionality, longevity,
and durability;
Æ exploration of CO sensor testing
being performed by gas heating
appliance manufacturers;
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Æ U.S. and international voluntary
standard development organization
activity addressing CO exposure
hazards.
2. Use of sensor technology for safe
shutdown of a gas heating appliance
when incomplete combustion or
dangerous levels of CO are detected.
• Suggested topics:
Æ Operating environment of sensors,
types of gases and environmental
parameters to monitor;
Æ operating ranges and expected life
of sensors;
Æ scope, state of the art, and
availability of sensor technologies
currently being used to shut off gas
heating appliances when incomplete
combustion or dangerous levels of CO
are detected or that are used in similar,
harsh environments;
Æ scope, state of the art, and
availability of prototype gas sensors that
may be commercially available for this
purpose within 1 to 5 years; barriers to
development and commercialization of
sensors capable of being used in the influe shut off application or similar harsh
environments;
Æ potential cooperative relationships
to bring existing technologies to market
and further develop near term
technologies.
We may combine, expand, or
eliminate panel sessions depending on
the level of interest. We will announce
the final agenda on the CPSC Web site
by May 28, 2014.
c. Details Regarding the Forum
1. When and where will the forum be
held?
The forum will be held from 9:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m. on June 3, 2014, at the
CPSC’s National Product Testing and
Evaluation Center, 5 Research Place,
Rockville, MD 20850. The forum will
also be available through a webcast, but
viewers will not be able to interact with
the panelists.
pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
2. How do you register for the forum?
Panelists. If you would like to be
considered as a panel member for a
specific topic or topics at the forum, you
should register on or before May 9,
2014. (See the ADDRESSES section of this
document for the Web site link and
instructions on where to register.) We
ask that you indicate the panel or panels
on which you would like to serve and
each topic for which you wish to be
considered. We ask that each potential
panelist submit a brief (less than 200
word) abstract of the panelist’s area of
expertise and proposed topic, and a
draft presentation or outline at the time
of registration to Mr. Ronald Jordan,
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:20 Apr 15, 2014
Jkt 232001
Division of Combustion and Fire
Sciences, Directorate for Engineering
Sciences, rjordan@cpsc.gov.
Although we will make an effort to
accommodate all persons who wish to
be panelists, we expect to limit each
panel session to no more than five
panelists. We will select panelists based
on considerations such as the
individual’s demonstrated familiarity or
expertise with the topic to be discussed,
the practical utility of the information to
be presented, and the individual’s
viewpoint, expertise, or ability to
represent certain interests (such as
appliance manufacturers, sensor
manufacturers, consumer organizations,
and standards organizations). We
recommend that individuals and
organizations with common interests
consolidate or coordinate their
presentations.
For the panel discussion focusing on
technological solutions, CPSC staff is
seeking sensor manufacturing
representatives, appliance
manufacturing representatives (with
demonstrated experience working with
sensors in this application), and
regulatory or standards development
organization representatives (who have
worked on or developed standards for
sensor or other similar technologies for
this or similar applications).
We will notify selected panelists on or
before May 23, 2014. If you are selected
as a panelist and want to make copies
of your presentation or other handouts
available, you should bring copies for
dissemination to the forum. Please
inform Mr. Ronald Jordan, rjordan@
cpsc.gov, 301–987–2219, if you need
any special equipment to make a
presentation.
Other participants. If you wish to
attend and participate in the forum but
do not wish to be a panelist, you should
register on or before May 23, 2014, and
identify your affiliation. Every effort
will be made to accommodate each
person’s request; however, we may need
to limit registration to meet the
occupant capacity of our meeting room.
If you need special accommodations
because of a disability, please contact
Mr. Ronald Jordan, rjordan@cpsc.gov,
301–987–2219, at least 10 business days
before the forum.
The forum will be available through a
webcast, but you will not be able to
interact with the panelists. You do not
need to register for the webcast. The
forum will also be taped and made
available for viewing on the CPSC Web
site.
Written comments. If you wish to
submit written comments, you may do
so before or after the forum by any of the
methods stated in the ADDRESSES
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
portion of this notice. These comments
will be accepted until July 7, 2014, and
should be restricted to topics covered by
the forum, as described in this
Announcement.
3. What will be the format of the forum?
The forum will open with a plenary
session that includes a brief overview of
the Commission’s past activities
addressing CO exposure resulting from
malfunctioning or improperly installed/
maintained gas heating appliances.
Following that, a series of panels will
address one or more of the topics listed
above, depending on registrations. Panel
sessions are expected to consist of
stakeholders and members of the public
and will be moderated by CPSC staff.
We expect potential panelists to speak
for no more than 10 minutes each about
their topic area. At the conclusion of
each of the panel’s presentations, there
will be a question, answer, and
discussion session among the panelists
and the audience, centering on the
topics discussed by the panelists. Each
panel session is expected to last
approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.
All attendees will be given the
opportunity to ask questions and make
comments during the question, answer
and discussion session following each
panel.
4. What happens if no one registers for
the forum?
If no one registers for the forum, we
will cancel the forum. If we decide to
cancel the forum for this or any other
reason, we will post a cancellation
notice on the registration Web page for
the forum and send an email to all
registered participants who provide
their email address when they register.
If the forum is cancelled, written
comments that are submitted as set forth
in this Announcement will be accepted.
Dated: April 9, 2014.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretariat, Consumer Product Safety
Commission.
[FR Doc. 2014–08607 Filed 4–15–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355–01–P
CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Proposed Information Collection;
Comment Request
Corporation for National and
Community Service.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Corporation for National
and Community Service (CNCS), as part
of its continuing effort to reduce
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\16APN1.SGM
16APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 73 (Wednesday, April 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21442-21446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08607]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
[CPSC Docket No. CPSC-2014-0009]
Carbon Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum and Request for
Information
AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.
ACTION: Announcement of meeting and request for information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC, Commission, or
we) is announcing that the CPSC intends to hold a forum on carbon
monoxide/combustion sensors. Through this announcement, we are also
issuing a Request for Information (RFI) seeking information on the
availability of sensors that are capable of: (1) Operating within the
flue passageways of a gas appliance or similar environment; (2)
directly or indirectly monitoring carbon monoxide levels or other gases
or environmental conditions associated with the production of dangerous
levels of carbon monoxide; and (3) providing a shutdown or other
preemptive signal in response to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
We invite interested parties to provide information responsive to the
RFI and to attend and participate in the forum and to submit comments
responsive to the forum agenda.
DATES: The forum will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 3,
2014. Individuals interested in serving on panels at the forum should
register by May 9, 2014; all other individuals who wish to attend the
forum should register by May 23, 2014. Written comments will be
received until July 7, 2014.
ADDRESSES: The forum will be held at the CPSC's National Product
Testing and Evaluation Center, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 20850.
There is no charge to attend the forum. Persons interested in serving
on a panel or attending the forum should register online at: https://www.cpsc.gov/meetingsignup.html, and click on the link titled, ``Carbon
Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum.'' For those who are unable to attend,
the forum will also be webcast.
You may submit written comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-
2014-0009, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic comments in the following way:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments. The Commission does not accept
[[Page 21443]]
comments submitted by electronic mail (email), except through
www.regulations.gov. The Commission encourages you to submit electronic
comments by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, as described above.
Written Submissions
Submit written comments in the following way:
Mail/Hand delivery/Courier, preferably in five copies, to: Office
of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 820, 4330
East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504-7923.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number for this notice. All comments received may be posted
without change, including any personal identifiers, contact
information, or other personal information provided, to https://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit confidential business information,
trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information
electronically. Such information should be submitted in writing.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to: https://www.regulations.gov and insert the
docket number CPSC-2014-0009 into the ``Search'' box, and follow the
prompts.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Jordan, Division of Combustion
and Fire Sciences, Directorate for Engineering Sciences, 5 Research
Place, Rockville, MD 20850, telephone 301-987-2219, email:
rjordan@cpsc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
a. Hazards Associated with Vented Gas Heating Appliances
Vented gas heating appliances provide comfort heat to consumers in
single- and multifamily dwellings, as well as in schools, motels/
hotels, and nursing homes; burn natural gas or propane as a fuel; and
exhaust the by-products of combustion from the appliance to the
outdoors through a vent system or chimney. Vented gas heating
appliances include gas furnaces, boilers, wall furnaces, and floor
furnaces. When these appliances experience certain failure modes or
conditions, dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (CO) can be produced.
CO is a by-product of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon
fuels, such as natural gas, propane and oil. Incomplete combustion in a
vented gas heating appliance can occur when too much fuel or inadequate
air for combustion are supplied to the burner, or when the burner flame
temperature is reduced below the ignition temperature of the fuel. When
the flue passageways and venting systems of appliances are intact and
properly installed and maintained, CO that results from incomplete
combustion is safely vented to the outdoors. However, when a
compromised flue passageway or venting system (e.g., a separated flue,
a disconnected vent, or a hole in a vent) creates a leakage path, CO
can enter the living space and present a hazard to consumers.
b. Incident Data
We analyzed death certificate data compiled by the National Center
for Health Statistics (NCHS) and death certificates purchased by the
CPSC from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City to
estimate the number of CO poisoning deaths associated with vented gas
heating appliances. According to this analysis, for the 12-year period
from 1999 to 2010, there were a total estimated 369 non-fire CO
poisoning deaths associated with central gas furnaces/boilers, wall
furnaces, and floor furnaces. This analysis also revealed that for the
years 2008 through 2010, an annual estimated 25 non-fire CO poisoning
deaths were associated with these types of appliances.
CPSC staff conducted a review of In-Depth Investigations (IDIs) of
non-fire-related CO incidents associated with gas furnaces and boilers:
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/130036/Updated_IDI_review_CO_and_modern_furnaces_and_boilers.pdf. The IDI review covered the years
2002 through 2009, and revealed 83 incidents associated with carbon
monoxide poisoning and gas furnaces and boilers that were determined to
have been manufactured after 1987. In 73 of the 83 incidents, the
investigating authorities were able to identify the failure mode of the
furnace or boiler. Thirty-one of the incidents involved the breach,
disconnection, or blockage of the vent, chimney, or heat exchanger. In
three of the incidents, reports identified the failure mode as improper
venting; and in an additional three incidents, the failure mode was
depressurization or back drafting. An additional 36 incidents were
associated with miscellaneous or multiple failure modes. There were 44
fatalities associated with these 83 CO poisoning incidents.
c. CPSC Staff's Activities Regarding Sensor Testing
Despite safety improvements made to the gas appliance voluntary
standards in the 1980s, the governing standards for gas-fired central
furnaces (ANSI Z21.47), gas-fired boilers (ANSI Z21.13), and gas-fired
wall and floor furnaces (ANSI Z21.86) do not protect against many of
the failure modes or conditions observed to cause or contribute to CO
exposure incidents.
1. CPSC's Activities with Voluntary Standards Organizations
For more than a decade, CPSC staff has worked with voluntary
standard organizations to encourage including CO shutoff requirements
in voluntary standards. In 2000, to address CO poisoning risks, CPSC
staff recommended that the governing voluntary standard group, the ANSI
Z21.47 Central Furnace Subcommittee, add a provision to the ANSI
furnace standard that would require a means to prevent furnaces from
producing concentrations of CO in excess of 400 parts per million (ppm)
(the carbon monoxide emission limit set forth in the voluntary standard
for gas furnaces, ANSI Z21.47) or cause the shutdown of furnaces in
response to those CO levels. https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/106498/Letter_ANSI_Z21.47_COemissions_furnace2_to_5_CO_shutoff_proposal.pdf.
In 2001, CPSC staff began investigating combustion gas sensing
technologies that might be used to detect CO in appliance flue
passageways and provide a shutoff or some other preemptive response to
dangerous levels of CO. CPSC staff tested sensor technologies to
demonstrate the ability of CO/combustion sensors to provide detection
and shutdown response to CO concentrations in excess of 400 ppm. At the
conclusion of this testing, CPSC staff determined that existing CO
sensor technology could be used to detect CO concentrations in excess
of 400 ppm in vented gas heating appliances and shut down the
appliance. https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/98232/Furnace_combustion_sensor_test_results.pdf. CPSC staff provided these test results to
the Z21.47 furnace subcommittee to support CPSC staff's earlier
proposal that the furnace standard be revised to require that vented
gas heating appliances be required to detect dangerous levels of CO and
shut down if high levels of CO are detected.
The Z21.47 subcommittee referred CPSC's CO shutoff proposal to the
ANSI Z21/83 Technical Committee (Technical Committee), which in 2002,
established the ANSI Z21/83 Ad Hoc Working Group for CO Combustion
Sensors (AHWG). AHWG was tasked with developing test and work plans to
evaluate the feasibility of using gas and
[[Page 21444]]
combustion sensing technologies for CO shutoff of furnaces and other
vented gas heating appliances and, if warranted, begin development of
an appropriate standard.
CPSC staff worked with the AHWG from 2002 through 2004 to complete
the test criterion. The Technical Committee met in September 2005, and
decided not to pursue CO/combustion sensor testing, citing concerns
that there were no commercially available sensors that were:
(1) Durable enough to withstand the furnace operating environment,
or
(2) had the expected life span (e.g., 15 years) of a furnace.
In response to the Technical Committee's decision not to pursue CO
sensor testing, CPSC staff conducted a test program from 2007 through
2008 to evaluate the durability and longevity of sensors operating in a
gas furnace environment. https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/129834/CO_sensor_durability_and_longevity_testing.pdf. The purpose of the
test program was to address the concerns about sensor durability and
longevity raised by the Technical Committee at their 2005 meeting.
Therefore, the testing only included those portions of the test
criteria developed by the AHWG relevant to durability and longevity.
The test results demonstrated the availability of chemical sensors
capable of withstanding the harsh operating environment of a furnace
and potentially surviving throughout the life span of the furnace.
Based on the results of this testing, CPSC staff concluded that the
inclusion of a CO shutoff requirement in the voluntary standard was
technologically feasible. CPSC staff shared the report on the test
results with the Technical Committee, as well as the Technical Advisory
Groups (TAG) for gas furnaces (ANSI Z21.47 TAG) and gas boilers (ANSI
Z21.13 TAG).
2. Gas Technology Institute Report
In 2011, the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) (a research,
development and training organization that develops technology-based
solutions in the natural gas and energy fields for industry, government
and consumers) prepared a report titled, ``Technical Feasibility Study
Carbon Monoxide Sensing Safety Systems for Appliances'' (GTI Report).
https://www.ari.org/App_Content/ahri/files/RESEARCH/Technical%20Results/AHRI-8001%20Final%20Report.pdf.
The purpose of the GTI Report was to ``establish a technical
baseline for considering the practical feasibility of integrating CO
sensors into gas appliances, and to identify critical areas needing
further development or research.'' According to the GTI Report, there
are several factors that prevent CO sensors from functioning properly
when used in a gas-fired appliance:
The temperature and humidity conditions in the flue or
combustion chamber;
the presence of contaminants in the flue or combustion
chamber; and
the short life span of CO sensors (6 years) when compared
to the life span of gas-fired appliances (20 years).
The GTI Report concluded that ``extensive research is required before
current designs of CO sensors would be able to operate in the
combustion chamber or the flue of a gas-fired appliance for a length of
time for use as a safety or combustion control device.'' This
conclusion is inconsistent with the results of CPSC staff's sensor
testing that in CPSC staff's view demonstrated the availability of
chemical sensors capable of withstanding the harsh operating
environment of a furnace and potentially surviving throughout the life
span of the furnace.
II. Request for Information
a. Purpose
We request information to help CPSC staff gain a broader
understanding of the availability and the state of the art of all
sensor technologies that are capable of being used within the heat
exchangers, flue passageways, and/or vent systems of vented gas heating
appliances to shut down the appliance in response to dangerous levels
of CO in these areas of the appliance or upon detection of incomplete
combustion conditions that can lead to the production of dangerous
levels of CO.
CPSC is interested in information regarding sensor technologies
that:
Determine CO concentration by directly measuring CO
levels;
determine CO concentration indirectly by measuring other
combustion gases, such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, or unburned natural
gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas), or environmental conditions,
such as temperature, humidity, or displacement; and
detect incomplete combustion conditions that could result
in the production of dangerous levels of CO.
We are also interested in sensor technologies at various stages of
product life-cycle development, including:
full-scale production models
prototypes that are less than 2 years from full-scale
production; and
prototypes between two and 5 years from full-scale
production.
CPSC staff is aware that CO/combustion sensing technology is
already in use with vented gas heating appliances in Japan and believes
that actions such as including this technology in vented gas heating
appliances in the United States could help reduce the risks of death
and injury associated with CO exposure from these products. CPSC staff
would like to learn more about Japan's experience with this technology,
and we expect that responses to the request for information will
provide helpful information in this regard. CPSC will use information
gained from responses to the RFI and from the forum to determine future
work to reduce the risks of death and injury associated with CO
exposure.
b. Information Requested
In preparing information or comments for the RFI and for
consideration at the forum, commenters should be aware of the typical
operating environment of a vented gas appliance and some basic
operating requirements of a CO/combustion sensor cited in the table
below. Response range and maximum exposure limits for sensors that
detect other target gases or environmental conditions will vary.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Criteria Range
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temperature............................... -40 to 500 degrees F
Humidity.................................. 0 to 100%
CO Sensor Response Range.................. 0 to 400 ppm
Maximum CO Sensor Exposure................ 3000 ppm
Lifespan.................................. 5, 10,15, & 20 years
Accuracy.................................. 5%
Supply voltage to sensor.................. 0 to 10 VDC; 0 to 24 VAC
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CPSC staff is particularly interested in receiving the following
information:
Detailed descriptions of gas or environmental condition
sensors that the commenter currently manufactures or has developed or
worked with, and that are used or capable of being used for an in-flue
application, or similar environment, to shut off vented gas heating
appliances reliably when dangerous levels of CO or incomplete
combustion are detected.
[cir] Data from completed testing that demonstrates the capability
of the sensors to operate within the flue passageways of vented gas
heating appliances, or similar environments, and the expected life of
sensors installed in these appliances or similar environments.
[cir] Quantitative Accelerated Life Testing (QALT) data that
demonstrate the sensors' ability to perform reliably when installed in
gas heating appliances; and/or
[[Page 21445]]
[cir] Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) data and other sensor life
data at normal and overstress use conditions.
Detailed descriptions of prototype gas or environmental
condition sensors that the commenter has developed, worked with, or
expects to be ready for full-scale production within 1 to 2 years and
that are capable of being used for an in-flue application, or similar
environment, to shut off vented gas heating appliances reliably when
dangerous levels of CO or incomplete combustion are detected.
[cir] Preliminary or intermediate data of completed testing or
testing the commenter expects to complete within the next 1 to 2 years
that demonstrates the capability of the sensors to operate within the
flue passageways of vented gas heating appliances, or similar
environments, and the expected life of sensors installed in these
appliances or similar environments should be provided.
[cir] QALT data that demonstrate the sensors' ability to perform
reliably when installed in vented gas heating appliances; and/or
[cir] MTBF data and other sensor life data at normal and overstress
use conditions.
Plans for testing or development that the commenter
intends to pursue during the next 1 to 2 years that may demonstrate
that a gas or environmental condition sensor is capable of being used
for an in-flue application, or similar environment, to shut off gas
heating appliances reliably when dangerous levels of CO or incomplete
combustion are detected.
[cir] Plans to conduct QALT to substantiate the sensor's ability to
perform properly when installed in a vented gas heating appliance, or
similar environment, and to measure MTBF and other sensor life data at
normal and overstress conditions.
Past, present, or future (i.e., within the next 1 to 2
years) efforts to market the above-described gas or environmental
condition sensors to the gas appliance industry or other industries
with similar operating environments (e.g., automotive industry).
The current or estimated wholesale cost of gas or
environmental condition sensors supplied to an appliance manufacturer
or an end user with a similar operating environment for full-scale
production (if available).
III. Carbon Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum
The forum will take place on June 3, 2014. The forum will be
comprised of a plenary session and technological solutions sessions
(detailed in section III. b.) The first session will discuss hazard
patterns that lead to CO exposure, available mechanisms that exist to
address the hazards, and efforts over the years to address the hazards.
This session will serve as background and provide the context for the
afternoon sessions.
The subsequent sessions will focus on possible technological
solutions to address the hazard, barriers to further development of
technologies for an in-flue shutoff application (i.e., a sensor located
within the heat exchanger or flue passageways of a gas heating
appliance that will shut off the appliance when elevated levels of CO
are detected), and cooperation among stakeholders. Each session will
provide interested parties the opportunity to present their research,
developments, or expert knowledge on the topic area. Each session will
conclude with time for open discussion and questions and answers led by
CPSC staff moderators.
a. What do we hope the forum will accomplish?
Current voluntary standards do not address all failure mechanisms
that are known to result in CO exposure from vented gas heating
appliances. CPSC staff successfully demonstrated the concept of using
CO shutoff sensors in a gas furnace in 2001and 2004 (https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/98232/Furnace_combustion_sensor_test_results.pdf; https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/103897/Combustion_sensor_test_results.pdf), and the durability of some sensors to operate in
the harsh environment of a gas furnace, possibly for the life of the
appliance in 2012 (https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/129834/CO_sensor_durability_and_longevity_testing.pdf).
Based on the results of this testing, CPSC staff believes that CO
and other gas/environmental condition sensors are technically feasible
solutions that could address risks and related deaths and injuries
associated with vented gas heating appliances. However, CPSC staff
would like to obtain additional information to build a broader
understanding of sensor technologies currently available and under
development, as well as any barriers to using these technologies in a
vented gas heating appliance. CPSC staff invites sensor manufacturers,
appliance manufacturers, standards organization representatives,
consumer groups, and other stakeholders to participate in the Carbon
Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum.
The goals of the forum are:
1. To inform forum attendees of the hazards identified by CPSC
staff and efforts made so far to address the hazards of CO poisoning
from vented gas heating appliances;
2. To gain a broader understanding of the scope, state of the art,
and availability of sensor technologies being used in, or capable of
being used in, an in-flue shut off application or similar harsh
environments;
3. To gain a better understanding of the scope, state of
development, and availability of prototype gas or combustion sensors
that may be commercially available within 1 to 5 years and that are
capable of being used in an in-flue shut off application or similar
harsh environments;
4. To gain a better understanding of potential barriers to further
development and commercialization of sensors used in, or capable of
being used in, an in-flue shut off application or similar harsh
environments;
5. To gain a better understanding of potential failure modes likely
to be encountered in using gas sensors in an in-flue shut off
application or similar harsh environments and strategies to mitigate
those failure modes;
6. To gain a better understanding of the expected life of sensors
used in an in-flue shut off application or similar harsh environments;
and
7. To encourage development of technological solutions to the
stated problem among forum attendees and to foster cooperative
relationships among forum attendees to achieve those solutions.
b. What topics will be addressed at the forum?
The forum will focus on various technological means of reducing the
risk of CO exposure from vented gas heating appliances under a variety
of conditions. We recommend that all potential panelists consider this
general theme when preparing for the forum. We list suggested topics
below. CPSC staff reserves the right to include or decline topics based
on whether staff believes the topics will aid the forum objectives or
fit within the time constraints of a 1-day event.
Forum Topic Areas
1. CPSC and stakeholder efforts to address CO hazards resulting
from malfunctioning gas heating appliances.
Suggested topics:
[cir] Results of testing of CO sensing technology for
functionality, longevity, and durability;
[cir] exploration of CO sensor testing being performed by gas
heating appliance manufacturers;
[[Page 21446]]
[cir] U.S. and international voluntary standard development
organization activity addressing CO exposure hazards.
2. Use of sensor technology for safe shutdown of a gas heating
appliance when incomplete combustion or dangerous levels of CO are
detected.
Suggested topics:
[cir] Operating environment of sensors, types of gases and
environmental parameters to monitor;
[cir] operating ranges and expected life of sensors;
[cir] scope, state of the art, and availability of sensor
technologies currently being used to shut off gas heating appliances
when incomplete combustion or dangerous levels of CO are detected or
that are used in similar, harsh environments;
[cir] scope, state of the art, and availability of prototype gas
sensors that may be commercially available for this purpose within 1 to
5 years; barriers to development and commercialization of sensors
capable of being used in the in-flue shut off application or similar
harsh environments;
[cir] potential cooperative relationships to bring existing
technologies to market and further develop near term technologies.
We may combine, expand, or eliminate panel sessions depending on
the level of interest. We will announce the final agenda on the CPSC
Web site by May 28, 2014.
c. Details Regarding the Forum
1. When and where will the forum be held?
The forum will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 3, 2014,
at the CPSC's National Product Testing and Evaluation Center, 5
Research Place, Rockville, MD 20850. The forum will also be available
through a webcast, but viewers will not be able to interact with the
panelists.
2. How do you register for the forum?
Panelists. If you would like to be considered as a panel member for
a specific topic or topics at the forum, you should register on or
before May 9, 2014. (See the ADDRESSES section of this document for the
Web site link and instructions on where to register.) We ask that you
indicate the panel or panels on which you would like to serve and each
topic for which you wish to be considered. We ask that each potential
panelist submit a brief (less than 200 word) abstract of the panelist's
area of expertise and proposed topic, and a draft presentation or
outline at the time of registration to Mr. Ronald Jordan, Division of
Combustion and Fire Sciences, Directorate for Engineering Sciences,
rjordan@cpsc.gov.
Although we will make an effort to accommodate all persons who wish
to be panelists, we expect to limit each panel session to no more than
five panelists. We will select panelists based on considerations such
as the individual's demonstrated familiarity or expertise with the
topic to be discussed, the practical utility of the information to be
presented, and the individual's viewpoint, expertise, or ability to
represent certain interests (such as appliance manufacturers, sensor
manufacturers, consumer organizations, and standards organizations). We
recommend that individuals and organizations with common interests
consolidate or coordinate their presentations.
For the panel discussion focusing on technological solutions, CPSC
staff is seeking sensor manufacturing representatives, appliance
manufacturing representatives (with demonstrated experience working
with sensors in this application), and regulatory or standards
development organization representatives (who have worked on or
developed standards for sensor or other similar technologies for this
or similar applications).
We will notify selected panelists on or before May 23, 2014. If you
are selected as a panelist and want to make copies of your presentation
or other handouts available, you should bring copies for dissemination
to the forum. Please inform Mr. Ronald Jordan, rjordan@cpsc.gov, 301-
987-2219, if you need any special equipment to make a presentation.
Other participants. If you wish to attend and participate in the
forum but do not wish to be a panelist, you should register on or
before May 23, 2014, and identify your affiliation. Every effort will
be made to accommodate each person's request; however, we may need to
limit registration to meet the occupant capacity of our meeting room.
If you need special accommodations because of a disability, please
contact Mr. Ronald Jordan, rjordan@cpsc.gov, 301-987-2219, at least 10
business days before the forum.
The forum will be available through a webcast, but you will not be
able to interact with the panelists. You do not need to register for
the webcast. The forum will also be taped and made available for
viewing on the CPSC Web site.
Written comments. If you wish to submit written comments, you may
do so before or after the forum by any of the methods stated in the
ADDRESSES portion of this notice. These comments will be accepted until
July 7, 2014, and should be restricted to topics covered by the forum,
as described in this Announcement.
3. What will be the format of the forum?
The forum will open with a plenary session that includes a brief
overview of the Commission's past activities addressing CO exposure
resulting from malfunctioning or improperly installed/maintained gas
heating appliances. Following that, a series of panels will address one
or more of the topics listed above, depending on registrations. Panel
sessions are expected to consist of stakeholders and members of the
public and will be moderated by CPSC staff. We expect potential
panelists to speak for no more than 10 minutes each about their topic
area. At the conclusion of each of the panel's presentations, there
will be a question, answer, and discussion session among the panelists
and the audience, centering on the topics discussed by the panelists.
Each panel session is expected to last approximately 1 hour and 45
minutes.
All attendees will be given the opportunity to ask questions and
make comments during the question, answer and discussion session
following each panel.
4. What happens if no one registers for the forum?
If no one registers for the forum, we will cancel the forum. If we
decide to cancel the forum for this or any other reason, we will post a
cancellation notice on the registration Web page for the forum and send
an email to all registered participants who provide their email address
when they register. If the forum is cancelled, written comments that
are submitted as set forth in this Announcement will be accepted.
Dated: April 9, 2014.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretariat, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2014-08607 Filed 4-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P?>
