[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5537-5538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3199]
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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
Request for Comments Concerning Proposed Request for Approval of
a Collection of Information--Safety Standard for Automatic Residential
Garage Door Operators
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 request for approval of a collection of information from
manufacturers and importers of residential garage door operators. The
collection of information consists of testing and recordkeeping
requirements in certification regulations implementing the Safety
Standard for Automatic Residential Garage Door Operators (16 CFR Part
1211). The Commission will consider all comments received in response
to this notice before requesting 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 April 15, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Residential Garage
Door Operators'' and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer
Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, or delivered to that
office, room 502, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed
request for approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a
copy of 16 CFR Part 1211, call or write Nicholas V. Marchica, Director,
Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission,
Washington, DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-0416, extension 2243.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1990, Congress enacted legislation
requiring residential garage door operators to comply with the
provisions of a standard published by Underwriters Laboratories to
protect against entrapment. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act
of 1990 (the Improvement Act) (Pub. L. 101-608, 104 Stat. 3110)
includes requirements that residential garage door operators
manufactured on or after January 1, 1993, must comply with the
entrapment protection provisions in UL Standard 325 in effect on or
before January 1, 1992. The entrapment protection requirements of UL
Standard 325 are codified as the Safety Standard for Automatic
Residential Garage Door Operators, 16 CFR Part 1211.
A. Certification Requirements
The Improvement Act provides that UL Standard 325 shall be
considered to be a consumer product safety standard issued by the
Consumer Product Safety Commission under section 9 of the Consumer
Product Safety Act (CPSA) (15 U.S.C. 2058). Section 14(a) of the CPSA
(15 U.S.C. 2063(a)) requires manufacturers, importers, and private
labelers of a consumer product subject to a consumer product safety
standard to issue a certificate stating that the product complies with
all applicable consumer product safety standards. Section 14(a) of the
CPSA also requires that the certificate of compliance must be based on
a test of each product or upon a reasonable testing program.
Section 14(b) of the CPSA (15 U.S.C. 2063(b)) authorizes the
Commission to issue regulations to prescribe a
[[Page 5538]]
reasonable testing program to support certificates of compliance with a
consumer product safety standard. Section 14(b) of the CPSA allows
firms which are required to issue certificates of compliance to use an
independent third-party organization to conduct the testing required to
support the certificate of compliance.
Section 16(b) of the CPSA (15 U.S.C. 2065(b)) authorizes the
Commission to issue rules to require establishment and maintenance of
records necessary to implement the CPSA or determine compliance with
rules issued under the authority of the CPSA. On December 22, 1992, the
Commission issued rules prescribing requirements for a reasonable
testing program to support certificates of compliance with the Safety
Standard for Automatic Residential Garage Door Operators (57 FR 60449).
These regulations also require manufacturers, importers, and private
labelers of residential garage door operators to establish and maintain
records to demonstrate compliance with the requirements for testing to
support certification of compliance. 16 CFR Part 1211, Subparts B and
C.
The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by
manufacturers and importers of residential garage door operators to
protect consumers from risks of death and injury resulting from
entrapment accidents associated with garage door operators. More
specifically, the Commission uses this information to determine whether
the products produced and imported by those firms comply with the
standard. The Commission also uses this information to facilitate
corrective action if any residential garage door operators fail to
comply with the standard in a manner that creates a substantial risk of
injury to the public.
B. Estimated Burden
The Commission staff estimates that about 14 firms are subject to
the testing and recordkeeping requirements of the certification
regulations. Information available to the Commission staff indicates
that all of these firms use the services of an independent third-party
organization to conduct the testing and maintain the records necessary
to satisfy the requirements of the certification regulations.
The Commission staff estimates that after an initial one-time test
to establish that a garage door operator complies with the requirements
of the standard, the annual cost to a manufacturer or importer of
garage door operators for the inspection and certification services of
a third-party organization is approximately $1,200 per year. Thus, the
total annual burden imposed by the certification regulations on all
manufacturers and importers of garage door operators is about $16,800.
During a typical year, the Commission will expend approximately one
week of professional staff time reviewing records required to be
maintained by the certification regulations for residential garage door
operators. The annual cost to the Federal government of the collection
of information in these regulations is estimated to be $1,400.
C. Request for Comments
The Commission solicits written comments from all interested
persons about the proposed request for approval of the collection of
information in the certification and recordkeeping regulations for
residential garage door operators. 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: February 7, 1996.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 96-3199 Filed 2-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P
