[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1363-1364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-454]
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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
Request for Comments Concerning Proposed Reinstatement of
Approval of a Collection of Information--Carpets and Rugs
AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter
35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments on a
proposed reinstatement of approval of a collection of information from
manufacturers and importers of carpets
[[Page 1364]]
and rugs. The collection of information is in regulations implementing
the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR
Part 1630) and the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Small
Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR Part 1631). These regulations establish
requirements for testing and recordkeeping for manufacturers and
importers who furnish guaranties for products subject to the carpet
flammability standards. The Commission will consider all comments
received in response to this notice before requesting a reinstatement
of approval of this collection of information from the Office of
Management and Budget.
DATES: Written comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary
not later than March 19, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Carpets and Rugs''
and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety
Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, or delivered to that office, room
502, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed
reinstatement of approval of the collection of information, or to
obtain a copy of 16 CFR Parts 1630 and 1631, call or write Nicholas V.
Marchica, Director, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product
Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207; telephone (301) 504-0416,
extension 2243.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. The Standards
Carpets and rugs which have one dimension greater than six feet, a
surface area greater than 24 square feet, and are manufactured for sale
in or imported into the United States are subject to the Standard for
the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR Part 1630).
Carpets and rugs which have no dimension greater than 6 feet, a surface
area not greater than 24 square feet, and are manufactured for sale in
or imported into the United States are subject to the Standard for the
Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR Part 1631).
Both of these standards were issued under the Flammable Fabrics Act
(FFA) (15 U.S.C. 1291 et seq.). Both standards require that products
subject to their provisions must pass a flammability test which
measures resistance to a small, timed ignition source. Small carpets
and rugs which do not pass the flammability test comply with the
standard for small carpets and rugs if they are permanently labeled
with the statement: ``FLAMMABLE (FAILS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
STANDARD FF 2-70): SHOULD NOT BE USED NEAR SOURCES OF IGNITION.''
Section 8 of the FFA (15 U.S.C. 1197) provides that a person who
receives a guaranty in good faith that a product complies with an
applicable flammability standard is not subject to criminal prosecution
for a violation of the FFA resulting from the sale of any product
covered by the guaranty. Section 8 of the FFA requires that a guaranty
must be based on ``reasonable and representative tests.'' Many
manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs issue guaranties that
the products they produce or import comply with the applicable
standard. Regulations implementing the carpet flammability standards
prescribe requirements for testing and recordkeeping by firms which
issue guaranties. See 16 CFR Part 1630, Subpart B, and 16 CFR Part
1631, Subpart B.
The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by
firms which issue these guaranties to help protect the public from
risks of injury or death associated with carpet fires. More
specifically, the information helps the Commission arrange corrective
actions if any products covered by a guaranty fail to comply with the
applicable standard in a manner that creates a substantial risk of
injury or death to the public. The Commission also uses this
information to determine whether the requisite testing was performed to
support the guaranties.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection
of information in the regulations under control number 3041-0017. OMB's
most recent extension of approval expired on April 30, 1995. The
Commission now proposes to request a reinstatement of approval without
change for the collection of information in the regulations.
B. Estimated Burden
The Commission staff estimates that about 120 manufacturers and
importers of carpets and rugs issue guaranties for products subject to
the flammability standards for carpets and rugs. The Commission staff
estimates that the regulations will impose an average annual burden of
about 530 hours on each of those firms. That burden will result from
conducting the testing required by the regulations and maintaining
records of the results of that testing. The total annual burden imposed
by the regulations on manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs
will be about 63,600 hours.
The hourly wage for the testing and recordkeeping required to
conduct the testing and maintain records required by the regulations is
about $12, for an estimated annual cost to the industry of $763,200.
The Commission will expend approximately one-half month of
professional staff time reviewing and evaluating the records maintained
by manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs. The annual cost to
the Federal government of the collection of information in these
regulations is estimated to be $2,800.
C. Request for Comments
The Commission solicits written comments from all interested
persons about the proposed extension of approval of the collection of
information in the regulations implementing the flammability standards
for carpets and rugs. The Commission specifically solicits information
about the hourly burden and monetary costs imposed by the collection of
information on firms subject to this collection of information. The
Commission also seeks information relevant to the following topics:
Whether the collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the Commission's functions;
Whether the information will have practical utility for the
Commission;
Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected could be enhanced; and
Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information
could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other
technological collection techniques, or other form of information
technology.
Dated: December 18, 1995.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 96-454 Filed 1-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P
