CPSC Issues New Version of Regulated Products Handbook

CPSC April 8 made the 2013 version of the Regulated Products Handbook available. The 41-page guide opens with an explanation of its history and mission and a listing of the seven laws CPSC is charged with administering: Consumer Product Safety Act, Federal Hazardous Substances Act, Flammable Fabrics Act, Poison Prevention Packaging Act, Refrigerator Safety Act, Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, and Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act.

Next, the handbook briefly describes the methods used to enforce the laws and gives an explanation of related product requirements, including some not found in the CFR, such as for the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act.

Following a listing of the certificates of compliance that certain manufacturers and importers are required have for their products, the handbook delves into the sanctions, penalties and injunctions that CPSC can impose against any companies or individuals who violate the statutes. It also provides firms that run afoul of the agency’s rules with a process to present contrary evidence.

Descriptions of CPSC import authority covering the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Federal Substances Act and the Flammable Fabrics Act precede lengthy chapters aimed at educating manufacturers on conducting product recalls, creating recall plans, destroying recalled products and applying for the recondition of violative imports.

The remainder of the handbook explains reporting requirements, both for incidents and exports, as well as prohibitions on exportations and export notification requirements.

The handbook concludes with an explanation of how CPSC treats confidential information and how the agency uses information and under which circumstances it can share the information with other government agencies.

The handbook, dated March 26, is at www.cpsc.gov/Global/Business-and-Manufacturing/Business-Education/Regulated_Product_Handbook_4_03_2013.pdf.