[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16526-16527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7086]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Proposed Collection of Information; Comment Request--Safety 
Standard for Multi-Purpose 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 multi-purpose lighters. 
Multi-purpose lighters are hand-held flame-producing products that 
operate on fuel and have an ignition mechanism. They typically are used 
to light devices such as charcoal and gas grills and fireplaces. 
Devices intended primarily for igniting smoking materials are excluded 
from the multi-purpose lighter category.
    This collection of information consists of testing and 
recordkeeping requirements in certification regulations implementing 
the Safety Standard for Multi-Purpose Lighters. 16 CFR part 1212. 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 June 1, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Multi-Purpose 
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 to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this proposed 
extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a 
copy of 16 CFR part 1212, call or write Linda L. Glatz, Office of 
Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 
Washington, DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-7671.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1999, the Commission issued the Safety 
Standard for Multi-Purpose Lighters (16 CFR part 1212) under provisions 
of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) (15 U.S.C. 2051-2084) to 
eliminate or reduce risks of death and burn injury from fires 
accidentally started by children playing with these lighters. The 
standard contains performance requirements for multi-purpose lighters 
that are intended to make 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 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

[[Page 16527]]

standard for multi-purpose 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 into commerce. These regulations also require 
manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of multi-purpose 
lighters to establish and maintain records to demonstrate successful 
completion of all required tests to support the certificates of 
compliance that they issue. 16 CFR part 1212, subpart B.
    The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by 
manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of multi-purpose 
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 
multipurpose 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 multi-purpose 
lighters under control number 3041-0130. OMB's approval will expire on 
July 31, 2004. 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 100 firms involved. Currently the Commission believes that 
there may be as many as 200 different models of multi-purpose lighters 
on the market. With a few exceptions, most manufacturers and importers 
have more than one model. Each manufacturer would spend approximately 
50 hours per model. Therefore, the total annual amount of time that 
will be required for complying with the testing, recordkeeping, and 
reporting requirements of the rule is approximately 10,000 hours. (100 
firms x two models x 50 hours = 10,000 hours.) The annualized cost to 
industry for the 10,000 hour burden for collection of information is 
$244,800 based on an estimated hourly wage of $24.48/hr for the testing 
and recordkeeping required by the regulation.

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: March 25, 2004.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 04-7086 Filed 3-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P