Consumer Product Safety Commission – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission, or CPSC) is issuing this final rule to amend its Standard for the Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads. The ignition source cigarette specified in the standard for use in the mattress standard's performance tests, Standard Reference Material cigarette SRM 1196, is no longer available for purchase. This final rule amends the mattress standard to require a revised Standard Reference Material cigarette, SRM 1196a, which was developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as the ignition source for testing to the mattress standard.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) is announcing the availability of a completed rule review under section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) for the Testing and Labeling Regulations Pertaining to Product Certification of Children's Products, Including Reliance on Component Part Testing. This regulatory review concludes that the testing and component part testing regulations should be maintained without change.

In December 2017, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a consumer product safety standard for children's folding chairs and stools. The standard incorporated by reference the applicable ASTM voluntary standard. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) sets forth a process for updating mandatory standards for durable infant or toddler products that are based on a voluntary standard, when a voluntary standards organization revises the standard. Since 2017, ASTM has revised the voluntary standard for children's folding chairs and stools twice. Consistent with the CPSIA update process, this direct final rule updates the mandatory standard for children's folding chairs and stools to incorporate by reference ASTM's 2021 version of the voluntary standard.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) is considering developing a rule to address the risk of injury associated with fire and debris-penetration hazards associated with off-highway vehicles (OHVs). This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) initiates a rulemaking proceeding under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). We invite written comments from interested persons concerning the risk of injury associated with OHV fire and debris-penetration hazards, the regulatory alternatives discussed in this notice, other possible means to address this risk, and the economic impacts of the various alternatives. We also invite interested persons to submit an existing standard, or a statement of intent to modify or develop a voluntary standard, to address the risks of injury described in this ANPR.

This direct final rule updates the testing and third party conformity assessment body rules to incorporate by reference current versions of ISO/IEC 17025:2017(E) and ISO/IEC 17011:2017(E).

As required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) announces that CPSC has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a new proposed collection of information for a survey that will evaluate consumer awareness of infant sleep product warning labels. On December 21, 2020, the CPSC published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the agency's intent to seek approval of this collection of information. After reviewing and considering the comments, the Commission announces that it has submitted to the OMB a request for approval of this collection of information. A copy of the proposed survey, ``Revised Supporting Statement'' titled Consumer Product Safety Commission: Warning Label Comprehension and Interpretation by Consumers for Children's Sleep Environments, is available at: www.regulations.gov under Docket No. CPSC-2020-0027, Supporting and Related Material.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) is issuing a direct final rule to codify in the Code of Federal Regulations the statutory requirements for the flammability of upholstered furniture under the COVID-19 Regulatory Relief and Work From Home Safety Act. This Act mandates that CPSC promulgate California Technical Bulletin 117-2013 as a flammability standard for upholstered furniture under section 4 of the Flammable Fabrics Act.

In June 2018, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a consumer product safety standard for high chairs under section 104 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). The standard incorporated by reference the ASTM voluntary standard that was in effect for high chairs at the time. The CPSIA sets forth a process for updating mandatory standards for durable infant or toddler products that are based on a voluntary standard, when a voluntary standards organization revises the standard. In December 2020, ASTM published a revised voluntary standard for high chairs, and it notified the Commission of this revised standard in January 2021. This direct final rule updates the mandatory standard for high chairs to incorporate by reference ASTM's 2020 version of the voluntary standard for high chairs.

In this document, the Commission publishes its semiannual regulatory flexibility agenda. In addition, this document includes an agenda of regulatory actions that the Commission expects to be under development or review by the agency during the next year. This document meets the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 12866.

It is the policy of the Commission to publish settlements that it provisionally accepts under the Consumer Product Safety Act in the Federal Register in accordance with the terms of the Consumer Product Safety Commission's regulations. Published below is a provisionally- accepted Settlement Agreement with Cybex International, Inc., containing a civil penalty in the amount of seven million, nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($7,950,000), subject to the terms and conditions of the Settlement Agreement.\1\

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is amending its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) fee regulations to reflect more accurately the CPSC's direct costs of providing FOIA services, as well as to conform to the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) Uniform Freedom of Information Act Fee Schedule and Guidelines and to omit the fee category for the production of records on microfiche, an obsolete format. The CPSC also is amending other sections of its FOIA regulations to reflect organizational changes in the agency's FOIA Office; to codify the existing practice of the General Counsel remanding cases to the Chief FOIA Officer; and to allow for application of any relevant FOIA exemptions.

In November 2012, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a consumer product safety standard for infant swings under section 104 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). The standard incorporated by reference the ASTM voluntary standard that was in effect for infant swings at the time. The CPSIA sets forth a process for updating mandatory standards for durable infant or toddler products that are based on a voluntary standard, when a voluntary standards organization revises the standard. Consistent with the CPSIA update process, the Commission issued a direct final rule in October 2013, to revise the incorporation by reference for the mandatory swings standard, to reflect ASTM'S revised voluntary standard. Since 2013, ASTM has revised the voluntary standard for infant swings three times. This direct final rule updates the mandatory standard for infant swings to incorporate by reference ASTM's 2020 version of the voluntary standard.

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff is holding a forum on artificial intelligence (AI), and related technologies, such as Machine Learning (ML). CPSC staff invites interested parties to attend or participate in the AI forum via webinar.

The Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act, section 104 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), requires the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to promulgate consumer product safety standards for durable infant or toddler products. These standards are to be ``substantially the same as'' the applicable voluntary standard, or more stringent than the voluntary standard, if the Commission determines that more stringent requirements would further reduce the risk of injury associated with the product. The Commission is proposing a safety standard for crib mattresses. The scope of the proposed rule includes full-size and non-full-size crib mattresses, as well as after-market mattresses for play yards and non-full-size cribs. The Commission is also proposing to amend CPSC's consumer registration requirements to identify crib mattresses within the scope of the proposed rule as durable infant or toddler products, and proposing to amend CPSC's list of notice of requirements (NORs) to include such crib mattresses.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) announces that the Commission has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for extension of approval of a collection of information associated with the Safety Standard for Multi-Purpose Lighters. OMB previously approved the collection of information under control number 3041-0130. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on October 31, 2020. On July 23, 2020, the CPSC published a notice in the Federal Register to announce the agency's intention to seek extension of approval of the collection of information. The Commission received no comments. Therefore, by publication of this notice, the Commission announces that CPSC has submitted to the OMB a request for extension of approval of this collection of information, without change.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) requests comments on a proposed extension of approval for a collection of information relating to the Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved the collection of information under control number 3041-0127. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on December 31, 2020. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information from OMB.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on a new proposed collection of information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register for each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on a study that will assess the strength capabilities of children. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before submitting this collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) announces that the Commission has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for extension of approval of a generic clearance for the collection of qualitative feedback on agency service delivery. OMB previously approved the collection of information under control number 3041-0148. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on September 30, 2020. On June 15, 2020, the CPSC published a notice in the Federal Register to announce the agency's intention to seek extension of approval of the collection of information. The Commission received no comments. Therefore, by publication of this notice, the Commission announces that CPSC has submitted to the OMB a request for extension of approval of that collection of information, without change.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) is conducting a review of the regulations for third party testing and certification to demonstrate compliance with safety standards for children's products, under section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). That section requires the CPSC to review within 10 years after their issuance regulations that have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The testing and component part regulations were promulgated in 2011. The CPSC seeks comment to determine whether, consistent with the CPSC's statutory obligations, these regulations should be maintained without change, or modified to minimize the significant impact of the rules on a substantial number of small entities.

On May 20, 2020, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission, or CPSC) issued a direct final rule revising the CPSC's mandatory standard for hand-held infant carriers to incorporate by reference the most recent version of the applicable ASTM standard. We are publishing this final rule to delay the effective date of the CPSC's mandatory standard for hand-held infant carriers, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.