[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