[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6361-6362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2918]


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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 extension of 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 extension of 
a collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget.

DATES:  The Office of the Secretary must receive written comments not 
later than April 10, 2000.

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 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 1211, 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 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

[[Page 6362]]

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.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection 
of information concerning the Safety Standard for Automatic Residential 
Garage Door Operators under control number 3041-0125. OMB's most recent 
approval will expire on April 30, 2000. The Commission now proposes to 
request an extension of approval without changes of this collection of 
information.

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 reasonable testing 
program to support certificates of compliance with a consumer product 
safety standard. Section 14(b) of the CPSA allows firms that 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 22 firms are subject to 
the testing and recordkeeping requirements of the certification 
regulations. The staff estimates that each respondent will spend 60 
hours annually on the collection of information for a total of about 
1320 hours. Using an hourly rate of $13.50, based on 1999 Statistical 
Abstract data for average all private sector wages, the total industry 
cost would be about $18,000.

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: February 4, 2000.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 00-2918 Filed 2-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P