The CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) released the draft Final Rules for Testing and Labeling Pertaining to Product Certification (also referred to as a Reasonable Testing Program); and Conditions and Requirements for Relying on Component Part Testing or Certification, or Another Party’s Finished Product Testing or Certification, to Meet Testing and Certification Requirements.
The testing and labeling rule establishes requirements for a reasonable testing program used to certify a general use product that requires a General Conformity Certificate (GCC) and the testing and certification protocols used to certify a children’s product. Among other changes for manufacturers, the new program will include additional requirements for testing plans, remedial actions, tracking of material changes, and record-keeping practices for testing and other product-related documents.
The component part testing rule establishes the requirements for the certification of components parts, as an alternative to final product testing. Highlights of the new rule include the following:
• Definition of a component part
• Conditions (and benefits) of component part testing before final production
• Flexibility for domestic manufacturers and importers
• Recordkeeping practices for component part testing
• A decisional meeting for the Commissioners is scheduled for October 19, 2011 (next Wednesday). A meeting to vote has yet to be confirmed.
If approved, the testing and certification rule will be effective 15 months after it passes and is published in the Federal Register. The component part testing rule will be effective 30 days after passing and is published in the Federal Register.
Additional Information on these two rules can be found at the following links:
Testing and Certification Rule: http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia11/brief/certification.pdf
Component Part Testing Rule: http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia11/brief/componentpart.pdf
