[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66171-66172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30561]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Proposed Collection of Information; Comment Request--Safety 
Standard for Cigarette Lighters

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 request for an extension of approval of a collection of 
information from manufacturers and importers of disposable and novelty 
cigarette lighters. This collection of information consists of testing 
and recordkeeping requirements in certification regulations 
implementing the Safety Standard for Cigarette Lighters (16 CFR part 
1210). 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 written comments not 
later than January 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Cigarette Lighters'' 
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 
extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a 
copy of 16 CFR part 1210, call or write Linda L. Glatz, Office of 
Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 
Washington, DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-0416, extension 2226.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1993, the Commission issued the Safety 
Standard for Cigarette Lighters (16 CFR part 1210) under provisions of 
the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.) to 
eliminate or reduce risks of death and burn injury from fires 
accidentally started by children playing with cigarette lighters. The 
standard contains performance requirements for disposable and novelty 
lighters that are intended to make cigarette lighters subject to the 
standard resist operation by children younger than five years of age.

A. Certification Requirements

    Section 14(a) of the CPSA (15 U.S.C. 2063(a)) requires 
manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of a

[[Page 66172]]

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 authorizes the Commission to issue 
regulations to prescribe a reasonable testing program to support 
certificates of compliance with a consumer product safety standard. 
Section 16(b) of the CPSA (15 U.S.C. 2065(b)) authorizes the Commission 
to issue rules to require that firms ``establish and maintain'' records 
to permit the Commission to determine compliance with rules issued 
under the authority of the CPSA.
    The Commission has issued regulations prescribing requirements for 
a reasonable testing program to support certificates of compliance with 
the standard for cigarette lighters. These regulations require 
manufacturers and importers to submit a description of each model of 
lighter, results of prototype qualification tests for compliance with 
the standard, and other information before the introduction of each 
model of lighter in commerce. These regulations also require 
manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of disposable and 
novelty lighters to establish and maintain records to demonstrate 
successful completion of all required tests to support the certificates 
of compliance which they issue. 16 CFR part 1210, subpart B.
    The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by 
manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of disposable and 
novelty lighters to protect consumers from risks of accidental deaths 
and burn injuries associated with those lighters. More specifically, 
the Commission uses this information to determine whether lighters 
comply with the standard by resisting operation by young children. The 
Commission also uses this information to obtain corrective actions if 
disposable or novelty lighters fail to comply with the standard in a 
manner that creates a substantial risk of injury to the public.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection 
of information in the certification regulations for cigarette lighters 
under control number 3041-0116. OMB's most recent extension of approval 
will expire on January 31, 2000. The Commission proposes to request an 
extension of approval without change for these collection of 
information requirements.

B. Estimated Burden

    The cost of the rule's testing, reporting, recordkeeping, and other 
certification-related provisions is comprised of time spent by testing 
organizations on behalf of manufacturers and importers, and time spent 
by firms to prepare, maintain and submit records to CPSC. There are an 
estimated 45 firms involved. Each of the 45 affected firms are expected 
to test an average of two new models of lighters each year, for a total 
of 90 responses. Testing of two lighters is expected to take 175 hours, 
therefore, 45 firms times 175 hours equals 7,875 total hours requested.
    The cost of the rule's testing, reporting, recordkeeping and other 
certification-related provisions is comprised of time spent by testing 
organizations on behalf of manufacturers and importers, and time spent 
by firms to prepare, maintain, and submit records to CPSC. Testing 
costs are estimated to total roughly $5,000 to $10,000 per test series. 
If each of the 45 affected firms tests an average of one or two new 
models of lighters each year, total annual testing costs may be 
$225,000 to $900,000. Records preparation involves a range of both 
high-cost (executive and legal counsel) time and low-cost (clerical) 
time in each firm. The Commission staff has estimated charge-out costs 
for such time at approximately $50 per hour, on the average. For an 
average of roughly 20 to 40 hours per firm in a typical year, the total 
records preparation and submission costs for all 45 affected firms is 
approximately $45,000 to $90,000 per year. The differences between 
these costs and the March 1996 submission reflect a more accurate 
burden estimate.

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
--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: November 17, 1999.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 99-30561 Filed 11-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P