[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55056-55057]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22603]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

[Docket No. CPSC-2011-0058]


Toy Safety Standard: Strategic Outreach and Education Plan

AGENCY: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC,'' 
``Commission,'' or ``we'') is announcing the development of a strategic 
outreach and education plan to help the business community and other 
stakeholders learn about testing and certification requirements for 
children's toys and toy chests and their compliance with ASTM 
International's (formerly the American Society for Testing and 
Materials) (``ASTM'') Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy 
Safety, F 963-08 (``ASTM F 963-08''), and section 4.27 (toy chests) 
from ASTM International's F 963-07[egr]1 version of the standard 
(``ASTM F 963-07[egr]1''). We describe the plan and invite public 
comment on how we might improve the plan.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted no later than October 21, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2011-
0058, by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    To ensure timely processing of comments, the Commission is no 
longer accepting comments submitted by electronic mail (e-mail) except 
through www.regulations.gov.

Written Submissions

    Submit written submissions in the following way:
    Mail/hand delivery/courier (for paper, disk, or CD-ROM 
submissions), preferably in [six] copies, to: Office of the Secretary, 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 502, 4330 East West Highway, 
Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504-7923.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number for this rulemaking. All comments received may be 
posted, without change, including any personal identifiers, contact 
information, or other personal information provided to: http://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit confidential business information, 
trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information 
electronically. Such information should be submitted in writing.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to: http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neal S. Cohen, Small Business 
Ombudsman, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Bethesda, MD 20814; 
telephone: (301) 504-7504; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    On July 20, 2011, the Commission voted to approve publication of a 
``notice of requirements'' that would establish the criteria and 
process for the CPSC's acceptance of accreditation of third party 
conformity assessment bodies (commonly referred to as ``laboratories'') 
for testing, pursuant to ASTM International's (formerly the American 
Society for Testing and Materials) (``ASTM'') Standard Consumer Safety 
Specification for Toy Safety, F 963-08 (``ASTM F 963-08''), and section 
4.27 (toy chests) from ASTM International's F 963-07[egr]1 version of 
the standard (``ASTM F 963-07[egr]1''). (For simplicity, we will refer 
to both standards as the ``toy safety standard'').
    The issuance of the ``notice of requirements'' by the Commission 
means that manufacturers of children's toys must ensure that covered 
toys are tested for compliance with the toy safety standard by an 
accredited third party laboratory whose accreditation is accepted by 
the CPSC. The ``notice of requirements'' also means that based on the 
results of the third party testing, toy manufacturers must issue a 
written children's product certificate that certifies the compliance of 
each covered toy to the toy safety standard. The Commission will 
enforce these third party testing and certification requirements 
beginning with those covered toys manufactured after December 31, 2011.
    Given the likely impact on those who manufacture or import toys 
that are covered by the toy safety standard, we believe that it is 
important to engage in a strategic outreach and education plan to the 
business community and other stakeholders. An effective outreach and 
education plan will target the affected group of stakeholders and give 
the small business community and other stakeholders clear and detailed 
information to enable them to plan and act accordingly and make more 
informed and timely business decisions.
    This notice describes our outreach and education plan. We intend to 
make information on our plan and on the toy safety standard available 
at: http://www.cpsc.gov/toysafety by September 30, 2011.
    We envision three stages for this strategic outreach and education 
plan:
     Stage 1 will inform stakeholders generally about the need 
to test and certify to the toy safety standard. We plan to use 
traditional and social media to communicate the toy safety requirements 
and the effective compliance date of January 1, 2012. In addition, 
staff will target relevant trade publications, industry organizations, 
consumer groups, and others to ensure that the communications message 
is disseminated widely and to solicit additional outreach ideas and 
targets. The Small Business Ombudsman will publish a plain English 
guide on the requirements. Additionally, we hope that the publication 
of this document in the Federal Register may elicit additional 
suggestions and ideas.
     Stage 2 will provide detailed ``Frequently Asked 
Questions'' (``FAQs'') and examples so that stakeholders can better 
understand the requirements and staff's interpretations of certain 
provisions before the requirements go into effect. We believe that 
issuing FAQs in a timely fashion will allow the small business 
community and other stakeholders to plan and act accordingly to make 
more informed and timely business decisions. Traditionally, we have 
used FAQs as a means of explaining new regulations and requirements; 
however, we are also exploring other means of illustrating the toy 
safety requirements, such as instructional videos and webinars.
     Stage 3 will begin after we have developed the materials 
to educate stakeholders. We will target our ongoing education campaign 
efforts to promote higher rates of compliance with the toy standard and 
the testing and certification requirements. We will attend industry 
trade shows, as funding permits, and make presentations about the new 
requirements. In addition, we will attend international meetings, 
conferences, trade shows, and other public forums, as funding permits, 
where we will speak about the new requirements and serve as a resource 
for companies seeking additional information. Because many small

[[Page 55057]]

businesses have modest or nonexistent travel budgets, we will also host 
webinars for identified target groups. All webinars will be free of 
charge and will be posted publicly on the CPSC website.

Through this notice, we invite public comment on the following 
questions:

    1. What is the most effective way to identify stakeholders in the 
industry to whom we should direct our outreach efforts for the toy 
safety standard? Please identify ideas and specific stakeholders and 
their contact information, if known.
    2. What are the most useful and effective education and 
communication tools that we can use to communicate and explain the new 
requirements of the toy safety standard?
    3. What are the relevant trade groups and other organizations that 
can help communicate these new requirements to their members and 
others? Please identify individual groups and organizations and provide 
contact information, if known.
    4. What are the appropriate trade magazines and other publications 
targeted to toy manufacturers and others, including retailers, in the 
toy industry? We are interested particularly in medium- and small-size 
publications that target individual toy makers and crafters, such as 
those making wooden toys. Please identify publications and provide 
contact information, if known.
    5. What are the local, national, and international trades shows 
that target toy manufacturers and others in the toy industry? Please 
identify trade shows and dates and provide contact information, if 
known.
    6. What other stakeholders or groups should we target in our 
outreach and education efforts? Please identify and provide contact 
information, if known.
    7. What are other suggestions for successful implementation of the 
new requirements?
    Interested parties should submit comments to http://www.regulations.gov, as described in the ADDRESSES portion of this 
document.

    Dated: August 30, 2011.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2011-22603 Filed 9-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P