Consumer Product Safety Commission May 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC,'' ``Commission,'' or ``we'') is issuing a proposed rule that would establish the requirements pertaining to the third party conformity assessment bodies (or ``laboratories'') that are authorized to test children's products in support of the certification required by the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), as amended by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). The proposed rule would establish the general requirements concerning third party conformity assessment bodies, such as the requirements and procedures for CPSC acceptance of the accreditation of a third party conformity assessment body, and it would address adverse actions against CPSC-accepted third party conformity assessment bodies. The proposed rule also would amend the audit requirements for third party conformity assessment bodies and would amend the Commission's regulation on inspections.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' or ``Commission'') is revising various Privacy Act systems of records maintained by the Commission. The CPSC is also republishing the agency's complete systems of records.

The information collection requirements in a Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' or ``Commission'') coal and woodburning appliance rule have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') under OMB control number 3041-0040. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Commission now requests comments on a proposed extension of approval of those information collection requirements for a period of three years from the date of approval by the OMB. The rule, codified at 16 CFR part 1406, requires manufacturers and importers of certain coal and woodburning appliances to provide safety information to consumers on labels and instructions and an explanation of how certain clearance distances in those labels and instructions were determined. The requirements to provide copies of labels and instructions to the Commission have been in effect for stoves manufactured or imported since October 17, 1983, or May 16, 1984, for stoves introduced into United States commerce after May 16, 1984, regardless of the date of manufacture. For this reason, the information burden imposed by this rule is limited to manufacturers and importers introducing new products or models, or making changes to labels, instructions, or information previously provided to the Commission. The purposes of the reporting requirements in part 1406 are to reduce the risk of injuries from fires associated with the installation, operation, and maintenance of the appliances that are subject to the rule, and to assist the Commission in determining the extent to which manufacturers and importers comply with the requirements in part 1406. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting approval of this collection of information from the OMB.