[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 126 (Friday, July 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15988]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 1, 1994]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

 

Notification of Request for Approval of a Collection of 
Information--Labeling of Charcoal

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission has 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a request for 
approval, through December 31, 1994, of a collection of information in 
the form of a study to determine the effectiveness of labels to 
communicate hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning associated with 
burning charcoal indoors.
    A regulation codified at 16 CFR 1500.14(b)(6) requires labeling of 
bags of charcoal intended for household use to warn that burning 
charcoal produces toxic fumes and should not be used indoors without 
proper ventilation. The Commission has received reports of 137 
incidents during the years 1986 through 1993 in which persons suffered 
carbon monoxide poisoning after burning charcoal inside a house, tent, 
van, or other enclosed area. In 92 cases, the poisoning victim died. In 
many cases, reports of the incidents indicated that the poisoning 
victims did not speak English.
    In 1992, the Commission granted a petition which requested 
amendment of the charcoal labeling regulation. The petition sought the 
addition to the required label of an explicit statement that burning 
charcoal produces carbon monoxide, and that carbon monoxide has no 
odor. At the time the Commission granted this petition, the agency also 
decided to propose revision of that portion of the regulation which 
requires a labeling statement concerning the indoor use of charcoal.
    In conjunction with the rulemaking proceeding to amend the labeling 
regulation for bags of charcoal, the Commission proposes to study the 
effectiveness of a label incorporating a pictogram to communicate the 
risk of carbon monoxide poisoning associated with burning charcoal 
indoors. About 50 persons who do not read English will be asked to view 
a pictogram intended to depict hazards of burning charcoal indoors and 
to describe the message, if any, communicated by the pictogram.
    The Commission will use the results of this study to determine if 
the addition of a pictogram or symbol to the label currently required 
for bags of charcoal would improve the label's usefulness to persons 
who do not read English.

Additional Details About the Request for Approval of a Collection 
of Information

    Agency address: Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 
20207
    Title of information collection: Collection of Information to Test 
Pictograms to Warn of the Hazard of Burning Charcoal in Homes, Tents, 
and Vehicles.
    Type of request: New collection.
    Frequency of collection: One-time for each respondent.
    General description of respondents: Persons who do not read 
English.
    Estimated number of respondents: 50 to 100.
    Estimated average number of hours per respondent: 0.05.
    Estimated number of hours for all respondents: 7.5 to 15.
    Comments: Comments on the request for approval of this collection 
of information should be addressed to Donald Arbuckle, Desk Officer, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503; telephone: (202) 395-7340. Copies are 
available from Francine Shacter, Office of Planning and Evaluation, 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; telephone: 
(301) 504-0416.
    This is not a proposal to which 44 U.S.C. 3504(h) is applicable.

    Dated: June 27, 1994.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 94-15988 Filed 6-30-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-M