03-5037. Proposed Collection of Information; Comment Request-Safety Standard for Cigarette Lighters

AGENCY:

Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments on a proposed request for an extension of approval of a collection of information from manufacturers and importers of disposable and novelty cigarette lighters. This collection of information consists of testing and recordkeeping requirements in certification regulations implementing the Safety Standard for Cigarette Lighters (16 CFR part 1210). The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget.

DATES:

The Office of the Secretary must receive written comments not later than May 5, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be captioned “Cigarette Lighters” 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 20814. Written comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile at [phone] or by e-mail at [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information about the proposed extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a copy of 16 CFR Part 1210, call or write Linda L. Glatz, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington DC 20207; telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In 1993, the Commission issued the Safety Standard for Cigarette Lighters (16 CFR Part 1210) under provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.) to eliminate or reduce risks of death and burn injury from fires accidentally started by children playing with cigarette lighters. The standard contains performance requirements for disposable and novelty lighters that are intended to make cigarette lighters subject to the standard resist operation by children younger than five years of age.

A. Certification Requirements

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 authorizes the Commission to issue regulations to prescribe a reasonable testing program to support certificates of compliance with a consumer product safety standard. Section 16(b) of the CPSA (15 U.S.C. 2065(b)) authorizes the Commission to issue rules to require that firms “establish and maintain” records to permit the Commission to determine compliance with rules issued under the authority of the CPSA.

The Commission has issued regulations prescribing requirements for a reasonable testing program to support certificates of compliance with the standard for cigarette lighters. These regulations require manufacturers and importers to submit a description of each model of lighter, results of prototype qualification tests for compliance with the standard, and other information before the introduction of each model of lighter in commerce. These regulations also require manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of disposable and novelty lighters to establish and maintain records to demonstrate successful completion of all required tests to support the certificates of compliance that they issue. 16 CFR Part 1210, Subpart B.

The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of disposable and novelty lighters to protect consumers from risks of accidental deaths and burn injuries associated with those lighters. More specifically, the Commission uses this information to determine whether lighters comply with the standard by resisting operation by young children. The Commission also uses this information to obtain corrective actions if disposable or novelty lighters fail to comply with the standard in a manner that creates a substantial risk of injury to the public.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection of information in the certification regulations for cigarette lighters under control number 3041-0116. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on April 30, 2003. The Commission proposes to request an extension of approval without change for these collection of information requirements.

B. Estimated Burden

The cost of the rule's testing, reporting, recordkeeping, and other certification-related provisions is comprised of time spent by testing organizations on behalf of manufacturers and importers, and time spent by firms to prepare, maintain and submit records to CPSC. There are an estimated 60 firms involved. Each of the 60 affected firms are expected to test an average of one to two new models of lighters each year, for a total of 60-120 responses. Testing of two lighters is expected to take 175 hours, therefore, 60 firms times 175 hours equals 10,500 total hours requested. Many firms' submissions rely on previous testing (16 CFR 1210.14) of lighters. Thus, they may not need to do new child testing for lighters to qualify for importation.

The cost of the rule's testing, reporting, recordkeeping and other certification-related provisions is comprised of time spent by testing organizations on behalf of manufacturers and importers, and time spent by firms to prepare, maintain, and submit records to CPSC. Testing costs are estimated to total roughly $15,000 per test series. If each of the 60 affected firms tests an average of one or two new models of lighters each year, total annual testing costs may be $900,000 to $1.8 million. The Commission staff has estimated record preparation at approximately $42.32 per hour, on the average. For an average of roughly 20 to 40 hours per firm in a typical year, the total records preparation and submission costs for all 60 affected firms is approximately $51,000 to $102,000 per year. Total industry testing and administrative costs are therefore approximately $951,000 to $1.9 million per year. Total burden hours for testing and recordkeeping, using the two model per firm figures, would be 10,540 (10,500 for testing plus 40 for recordkeeping).

C. Request for Comments

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

—Whether the collection of information described above is necessary for the proper performance of the Commission'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.

Dated: February 26, 2003.

Todd A. Stevenson,

Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.