[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 145 (Thursday, July 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41095-41096]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19343]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Testing and Recordkeeping 
Requirements for Carpets and Rugs

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 extension of approval, through November 30, 2002, of 
information collection requirements for manufacturers and importers of 
carpets 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 an extension of 
approval of this collection of information from the Office of 
Management and Budget.

DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than 
September 27, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Carpets and Rugs; 
Paperwork Reduction Act,'' 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 (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed 
collection of information call or write Linda L. Glatz, Management and 
Program Analyst, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; (301) 504-0416, Ext. 2226.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. The Standards

    Carpets and rugs that 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 that have no dimension greater than six feet and a 
surface area not greater than 24 square feet 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. 1191 et seq.). Both standards require that products 
subject to their provisions must pass a flammability test that measures 
resistance to a small, timed ignition source. Small carpets and rugs 
that do not pass the flammability test comply with the standard for 
small carpets and rugs if they are permanently labeled with the 
statement that they fail the standard and 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 that 
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 that 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 expires on November 30, 1999. The 
Commission now proposes to request an extension of approval without 
change for the collection of information in the regulations.

B. Estimated Burden

    The Commission staff estimates that the enforcement rules result in 
an industry expenditure of a total of 63,840 hours for testing and 
recordkeeping. However, the Commission is unable to estimate the total 
dollar cost incurred by the industry. The Commission staff estimates 
that 120 firms are subject to the information collection requirements 
because the firms have elected to issue a guaranty of compliance with 
the FFA. The number of tests that a firm issuing a guaranty of 
compliance would be required to perform each year varies, depending 
upon the number of carpet styles and the annual volume of production. 
The staff estimates that the average firm issuing a continuing guaranty 
under the FFA is required to conduct a maximum of 200 tests per year. 
The actual number of tests required by a given firm may vary from 1 to 
200, depending upon the number of carpet styles and the annual 
production volume. For example, if a firm manufactures 100,000 linear 
yards of carpet each year, and has obtained consistently passing test 
results, only one test per year is required. The time required to 
conduct each test is estimated by the staff to be 2\1/2\ hours plus the 
time required to establish and maintain the test record.
    The estimated annual cost of the information and collection 
requirements to the Federal government is approximately $15,000. This 
sum includes three staff months and travel costs expended for 
examination of the records required to be maintained.

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

[[Page 41096]]

--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: July 22, 1999.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 99-19343 Filed 7-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P