2021-26800. Proposed Extension of Approval of Information Collection; Comment Request-Testing and Recordkeeping Requirements for Carpets and Rugs

AGENCY:

Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requests comments on a proposed extension of approval of information collection requirements for manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs under the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs and the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs. The CPSC will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES:

Submit written or electronic comments on the collection of information by February 8, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2012-0030, by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. CPSC does not accept comments submitted by electronic mail (email), except through https://www.regulations.gov and as described below. CPSC encourages you to submit electronic comments by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, as described above.

Mail/hand delivery/courier Written Submissions: Submit comments by mail/hand delivery/courier to: Division of the Secretariat, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone: [phone]. Alternatively, as a temporary option during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may email such submissions to: [e-mail].

Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and docket number for this notice. CPSC may post all comments received without change, including any personal identifiers, contact information, or other personal information provided, to: https://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit electronically: Confidential business information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do not want to be available to the public. If you wish to submit such information, please submit it according to the instructions for mail/hand delivery/courier written submissions.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to: https://www.regulations.gov,, insert Docket No. CPSC-2012-0030 into the “Search” box, and follow the prompts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cynthia Gillham, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; [phone], or by email to: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CPSC seeks to renew the following currently approved collection of information:

Title: Safety Standard for the Flammability of Carpets and Rugs and Standard for the Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs.

OMB Number: 3041-0017.

Type of Review: Renewal of collection.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Affected Public: Manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs.

Estimated Number of Respondents: Approximately 120 firms are subject to the information collection requirements under the FFA. An estimated 100 firms issue a general conformity certificate (GCC) or a children's product certificate (CPC). In addition, an estimated 20 firms elect to issue a guaranty of compliance with the FFA. Staff estimates that the average firm issuing a GCC, CPC, or guaranty under the FFA is required to conduct, on average, 100 tests per year, although the actual number of tests required by a given firm may vary, depending upon the number of carpet styles and the annual production volume.

Estimated Time per Response: For firms issuing a GCC or CPC, staff estimates that the time to conduct each test is 2 hours, including the time required to establish and maintain the test records. For firms issuing a guaranty of compliance, staff estimates that the time to conduct each test is 2.5 hours, including the time required to establish and maintain the test records.

Total Estimated Annual Burden: Staff estimates the total annualized burden to respondents to be 25,000 hours (20,000 hours for firms that issue a GCC/CPC plus 5,000 hours for firms that issue a guaranty of compliance).

Total Estimated Annual Cost to Respondents: The total annualized costs to all respondents for the hour burden for collection of information is estimated to be as high as $1,557,750 using a mean hourly employer cost-per-hour-worked of $62.31 (Bureau of Labor Statistics: Total compensation rates for management, professional, and related occupations, June 2021) (25,000 hours × $62.31).

General Description of Collection: 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) establish requirements to reduce the flammability of carpets and rugs. The standards' provisions include requirements for testing and recordkeeping for manufacturers and importers who furnish guaranties subject to the carpet and rug flammability standards. Separate from the guaranties, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) established product certification requirements for applicable consumer product safety standards and rules. 15 U.S.C. 2063. Manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs intended for general use must certify in a GCC that the product complies with the applicable standards based on testing or a reasonable testing program. Manufacturers and importers of children's carpets and rugs must certify in a CPC that the product complies with the applicable standards based on testing by a CPSC accredited third-party conformity assessment body.

Request for Comments

The CPSC solicits written comments from all interested persons about the proposed collection of information. The CPSC specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics:

—Whether the collection of information described is necessary for the proper performance of the CPSC's functions, including whether the information would have practical utility;

—Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of information is accurate;

—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 forms of information technology.

Alberta Mills,

Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.