[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 35 (Thursday, February 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7958-7959]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2911]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Seminars About Mattress Flammability Standard (16 CFR Part 1633)

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice of seminars.

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SUMMARY: The staff of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' 
or ``the Commission'') will conduct two seminars to help mattress 
manufacturers, importers, retailers and others in the mattress industry 
better understand the requirements of the Commission's new mattress 
flammability standard so that they will be prepared when the standard 
goes into effect on July 1, 2007. The seminars will take a practical 
approach and will focus on the following topics: developing a 
prototyping plan, ensuring compliance through quality control, and 
working with a test lab to conduct the required testing.
    One seminar will be at CPSC's headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland on 
Wednesday, March 28, 2007. The other will be held in San Diego, 
California on Wednesday, April 11, 2007. See the ADDRESSES section of 
this notice for location details. The seminars are free, public events, 
but registration is required for each attendee. Please register on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/mattressseminar.html or, if you do not have access to a computer, call 
Heather E. Sonabend at 301-504-7615.
    Persons who would like to present information at the seminars that 
could be helpful to mattress manufacturers should submit a request 
outlining their presentation. These requests must be submitted on the 
CPSC's Web site no later than February 28, 2007. Persons may also 
request to set up a table-top display with information that could 
assist manufacturers in complying with the mattress flammability 
standard. These requests must also be submitted on CPSC's Web site no 
later than February 28, 2007. Selected presenters will be notified by 
March 7, 2007. If presenting information, the presentation must be 
offered at both seminars. Persons may also submit questions that they 
would like to have addressed by presenters at the seminars related to 
the topics described in this notice. Such questions must be submitted 
on the CPSC's Web site, http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/mattressseminar.html, no later than February 28, 2007. All participants 
and attendees are prohibited from selling or soliciting sales of their 
products at the seminars.

DATES: The seminars will be held on March 28 in Bethesda, Maryland from 
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 11 in San Diego, California from 9 a.m. to 5 
p.m. Requests to make a presentation, including an outline of their 
presentation, or to set up a table-top display, must be submitted on 
CPSC's Web site no later than February 28, 2007. Questions for the 
presenters must be submitted on CPSC's Web site, http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/mattressseminar.html, no later than February 28, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The seminars will take place at CPSC headquarters, 4330 East 
West Highway, Hearing Room (4th floor), Bethesda, Maryland 20814 and at 
the San Diego State Building, 1350 Front Street, Room B-109, San Diego, 
California. To register for the seminars or to request to make a 
presentation, provide a table-top display, or submit questions please 
go to the Commission's Web site, http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/mattressseminar.html. If you do not have access to a computer, contact 
Heather E. Sonabend, (301) 504-7615.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the seminars, 
contact Allyson Tenney, Directorate for Engineering Sciences, Consumer 
Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 
20814, (301) 504-7567; e-mail [email protected] or contact Mary Toro, 
Office of Compliance, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-

[[Page 7959]]

West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, (301) 504-7586; e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Background

    On March 15, 2006, the Commission published the Standard for the 
Flammability (Open Flame) of Mattress Sets, 16 CFR part 1633, 71 FR 
13472. The standard establishes performance requirements that all 
mattress sets manufactured, imported or renovated on or after July 1, 
2007 must meet. With certain exceptions, the standard requires mattress 
manufacturers to test three specimens of each prototype before a 
mattress set is introduced into commerce. A prototype is a specific 
design of a mattress set that serves as a model for the production 
units that will be introduced into commerce.
    Because small variations in construction of a mattress set can 
affect fire performance, the standard establishes certain quality 
assurance requirements. The standard also requires manufacturers to 
maintain certain records to document compliance with the standard.
    This is a complex standard with requirements that must be closely 
followed to ensure that mattress sets will comply with the standard's 
criteria. As the standard's effective date of July 1, 2007 approaches, 
the Commission staff recognizes that mattress manufacturers, importers 
and retailers need practical information on what they must do to be 
sure their mattresses will meet the standard.

B. The Seminars

    The Commission staff is scheduling two seminars, one on the East 
Coast (Bethesda, Maryland) and one on the West Coast (San Diego, 
California). The CPSC staff anticipates that the seminars will occur 
over one day, but staff will be available at the seminar location on 
the following day to answer questions if desired. Most of the day will 
be spent with panel discussions on the topics listed below followed by 
smaller break-out sessions on the topics of testing/labs issues; 
prototype/component issues; and compliance/recordkeeping issues.
    The seminars are free, public events, but registration is required 
for each attendee. Please register on the Commission's Web site at 
http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/mattressseminar.html or, if you do not have 
access to a computer, contact Heather E. Sonabend, (301) 504-7615. 
Registration is limited to 150 attendees at each location. No more than 
three individuals from an organization may attend each seminar.
    The CPSC staff is requesting submissions from persons who wish to 
make presentations at the seminars, set up table-top displays with 
information that could assist mattress manufacturers, or ask questions 
of the presenters or CPSC staff. Note that the Commission cannot 
endorse any particular products or companies. All participants are 
prohibited from selling or soliciting sales of their products at the 
seminars. The presentations, table-top displays and questions should be 
informational, not promotional. Also note that if presenting 
information, the presentation must be offered at both seminars.
    At each seminar there will be three panels. Each panel will have 
three selected presenters, each of whom will make a 15 minute 
presentation. The panels will cover (and presentations should address) 
the following topics:
     Panel 1: Prototyping--how to develop a plan; Component 
selection; and Production--the necessities of building a compliant 
mattress.
     Panel 2: Quality Control--ensuring compliance through 
production; and Electronic records and recordkeeping.
     Panel 3: Testing--Working with a lab; Where and how to 
locate a lab; and What to ask.
    Table-top displays should present information that will be helpful 
to mattress manufacturers as they seek to understand and comply with 
the standard. The displays may include various products and components 
that would assist manufacturers in developing prototypes that meet the 
standard. Displays could also include information on construction 
techniques, quality assurance programs, and/or testing. No more than 20 
table-top displays will be permitted. The Commission cannot endorse any 
particular products or companies, and a statement to that effect will 
be shown near the table-top displays. No sales may be solicited or made 
at the seminars.
    Questions for the presenters and/or CPSC staff should pertain to 
the following topics:
     Scope of the standard,
     Prototyping,
     Quality control/production,
     Component issues,
     Testing, and
     Recordkeeping.
    Outlines of presentations, descriptions of table-top displays and 
questions must be submitted in advance in accordance with the dates and 
procedures listed in the DATES and ADDRESSES sections of this notice. 
The Commission staff reserves the right to edit any presentations, 
displays or questions.

    Dated: February 14, 2007.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
 [FR Doc. E7-2911 Filed 2-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P