What is CPSC? CPSC Review

Main contents of CPSC

1. Establish unified mandatory national standards across the United States.

2. Further regulate lead-containing toys

3. Affix traceability labels to toys.

4. Convert the voluntary standard ASTM F963 into a mandatory standard.

5. Implement mandatory third-party testing for certain children's products n Control of six phthalates in toys

Jurisdiction

CPSC manages more than 1,500 products, mainly household appliances, children's toys, fireworks and other consumer products for home, sports, entertainment and school. However, vehicles, tires, ships, weapons, alcohol, tobacco, food, medicines, cosmetics, pesticides and medical devices are not within its jurisdiction.

Scope of application

CPSC rules are a way to collect product safety data, alert customers to product hazards, and reduce harm.

CPSC rules address electrical shock, fire, and other safety hazards.

CPSC rules also apply to products that are involved in lawsuits or fail to implement safety guidelines, resulting in injury or death. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers must make written reports on products that are found to be unsafe, and only products that have obtained safety marks are allowed to enter the market.

CPSC Management

means:

a) Fines

b) Television media exposure

c) If necessary, recall the defective products

d) Through legal procedures

recall:

1. Automatic recall, that is, manufacturers, importers, wholesalers or retailers take the initiative to recall products when they find that a recall is necessary.

2. Compulsory recall, that is, the relevant competent authority takes legal action or administrative measures to order a compulsory recall when it finds that the product needs to be recalled.

Contents of the bill

a.CPSA (Consumer Product Safety Act)

CPSA is the abbreviation of the Consumer Product Safety Act, which was enacted in 1972 and is the protection regulation of the CPSC. It established the agency, explained its basic powers, and required the CPSC to establish standards that could reduce or eliminate the risk when it found any excessive risk of injury associated with any consumer product. It also allowed the CPSC to issue recalls for defective products (except for those products that are not under the jurisdiction of the CPSC).

b.FHSA

FHSA (Federal Hazardous Substances Act) is the abbreviation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. This act requires that household products with certain hazards should be labeled with warnings to inform consumers of the potential dangers and instruct them on how to protect themselves when these dangers occur. Any toxic, corrosive, flammable, irritating products and products that can generate electricity through decay, heating or other reasons need to be warned on the label. If the product is likely to cause personal injury or disease in normal use and when touched by children, it should also be indicated on the label.

c.PPPA

(Poison Prevention Packaging Act)

PPPA is the abbreviation of the Hazardous Materials Packaging Act. This act came into effect in 1970 and requires some household appliances to have child-resistant packaging to prevent children from getting hurt. This packaging act requires that the design of the product should not only prevent children under the age of 5 from opening the product within a certain period of time, but also facilitate adults to open it normally. Considering that the elderly and disabled may also have difficulties in opening the packaging of such products, the act allows the product to appear on the counter of daily groceries in a non-standard size packaging, which should be affixed with a warning sign indicating that the product cannot be easily reached by children in the home. When prescribed by a doctor or the patient has special requirements, statutory prescription drugs do not need to use child-resistant packaging.

d.RSA

(Refrigerator Safety Act)

RSA is the abbreviation of "Refrigerator Safety Act". This law came into force in 1956. It requires that the mechanical structure of the product (usually magnetic latch) can ensure that the door can be opened from the inside under special circumstances. This special situation may occur when children play or climb into the refrigerator that has been abandoned or not stored carefully. In fact, many such refrigerators are still in use, and once they are left in a place where children can easily reach them, they will become very dangerous.

e.CPSIA/HR4040

On August 14, 2008, President Bush signed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA/HR4040) into law. This act is the most stringent consumer protection act since the establishment of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 1972. In addition to stricter requirements on the lead content in children's products, the new act also sets new regulations on the content of harmful substances such as phthalates in toys and child care products. In addition, the act also requires the establishment of a public database on consumer product safety and requires that certain children's products must have a test report issued by an independent third-party laboratory approved by the Commission before being imported into the United States.

CPSIA affects all industries related to the production, importation, and distribution of toys, clothing, and other children's products and care products in the United States. All manufacturers should ensure that their products comply with all regulations, bans, standards, or rules of the Act. Among the phthalates, except for DINP, DIDP, and DNOP, which are temporarily banned until the CHAP research report is released to decide whether to lift the ban or list them as permanently banned, DEHP, DBP, and BBP have been permanently banned.

Testing and Certification

CPSC is responsible for certifying various products sold on the market, which is also called CPSC certification.

CPSC currently manages 15,000 different products in its catalog. CPSC rules are used to collect product safety data, remind customers of product dangers, and reduce hazards. CPSC rules are used to deal with electronic vibrations, fires, and other safety hazards. CPSC rules also apply to products that are involved in lawsuits and fail to implement safety guidelines, causing injury or death. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers must make written reports on unsafe products that are detected, and only products that have obtained safety marks are allowed to enter the market.

Request security certificate

Importers and manufacturers are required to provide certificates of compliance to distributors and retailers under the CPSIA. These certificates indicate that the product has been properly tested and meets the requirements of the CPSIA. Without these certificates, it is likely that shipments of product will be rejected when they reach stores, so there are some built-in compliance checks in the new act.

Certification Examples

Taking children's toys as an example, the inspection items include: flame retardancy, disassembly, etc., to assess the existing or potential dangers and hazards of children's toys to prevent children from being injured. This inspection is not to embarrass the company, but to be responsible to consumers; it does not inspect the production quality of the company, but to inspect the safety of the product during use.

The standards and regulations set by CPSC are very detailed. For example, the safe use of refrigerators takes into account whether children can be safely pulled out if they climb into them; the safe use of lighters takes into account whether children under 5 years old can be lit and whether they can burn children. Safety issues such as motor vehicles and products for the disabled are not within its management scope and are handled by other specialized agencies.

References

• 1. What does CPSC mean? US CPSC certification requirements, scope, and main contents: Sogou Q&A