[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1363-1364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-454]



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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

Request for Comments Concerning Proposed Reinstatement of 
Approval of a Collection of Information--Carpets and Rugs

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 reinstatement of approval of a collection of information from 
manufacturers and importers of carpets 

[[Page 1364]]
and rugs. The collection of information is in regulations implementing 
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). These regulations establish 
requirements for testing and recordkeeping for manufacturers and 
importers who furnish guaranties for products subject to the carpet 
flammability standards. The Commission will consider all comments 
received in response to this notice before requesting a reinstatement 
of 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 March 19, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Carpets and Rugs'' 
and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety 
Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, or delivered to that office, room 
502, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed 
reinstatement of approval of the collection of information, or to 
obtain a copy of 16 CFR Parts 1630 and 1631, call or write Nicholas V. 
Marchica, Director, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207; telephone (301) 504-0416, 
extension 2243.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. The Standards

    Carpets and rugs which have one dimension greater than six feet, a 
surface area greater than 24 square feet, and are manufactured for sale 
in or imported into the United States are subject to the Standard for 
the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR Part 1630). 
Carpets and rugs which have no dimension greater than 6 feet, a surface 
area not greater than 24 square feet, and are manufactured for sale in 
or imported into the United States are subject to the Standard for the 
Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR Part 1631).
    Both of these standards were issued under the Flammable Fabrics Act 
(FFA) (15 U.S.C. 1291 et seq.). Both standards require that products 
subject to their provisions must pass a flammability test which 
measures resistance to a small, timed ignition source. Small carpets 
and rugs which do not pass the flammability test comply with the 
standard for small carpets and rugs if they are permanently labeled 
with the statement: ``FLAMMABLE (FAILS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
STANDARD FF 2-70): SHOULD NOT BE USED NEAR SOURCES OF IGNITION.''
    Section 8 of the FFA (15 U.S.C. 1197) provides that a person who 
receives a guaranty in good faith that a product complies with an 
applicable flammability standard is not subject to criminal prosecution 
for a violation of the FFA resulting from the sale of any product 
covered by the guaranty. Section 8 of the FFA requires that a guaranty 
must be based on ``reasonable and representative tests.'' Many 
manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs issue guaranties that 
the products they produce or import comply with the applicable 
standard. Regulations implementing the carpet flammability standards 
prescribe requirements for testing and recordkeeping by firms which 
issue guaranties. See 16 CFR Part 1630, Subpart B, and 16 CFR Part 
1631, Subpart B.
    The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by 
firms which issue these guaranties to help protect the public from 
risks of injury or death associated with carpet fires. More 
specifically, the information helps the Commission arrange corrective 
actions if any products covered by a guaranty fail to comply with the 
applicable standard in a manner that creates a substantial risk of 
injury or death to the public. The Commission also uses this 
information to determine whether the requisite testing was performed to 
support the guaranties.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection 
of information in the regulations under control number 3041-0017. OMB's 
most recent extension of approval expired on April 30, 1995. The 
Commission now proposes to request a reinstatement of approval without 
change for the collection of information in the regulations.

B. Estimated Burden

    The Commission staff estimates that about 120 manufacturers and 
importers of carpets and rugs issue guaranties for products subject to 
the flammability standards for carpets and rugs. The Commission staff 
estimates that the regulations will impose an average annual burden of 
about 530 hours on each of those firms. That burden will result from 
conducting the testing required by the regulations and maintaining 
records of the results of that testing. The total annual burden imposed 
by the regulations on manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs 
will be about 63,600 hours.
    The hourly wage for the testing and recordkeeping required to 
conduct the testing and maintain records required by the regulations is 
about $12, for an estimated annual cost to the industry of $763,200.
    The Commission will expend approximately one-half month of 
professional staff time reviewing and evaluating the records maintained 
by manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs. The annual cost to 
the Federal government of the collection of information in these 
regulations is estimated to be $2,800.

C. Request for Comments

    The Commission solicits written comments from all interested 
persons about the proposed extension of approval of the collection of 
information in the regulations implementing the flammability standards 
for carpets and rugs. 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: December 18, 1995.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 96-454 Filed 1-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P