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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 111/2/21

23 June 2010

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 291/2010

US : CPSC's Final Rule on Safety Standard for Infant Walkers and the Requirements for Accreditation of Third Party Conformity Assessment Bodies related to Testing of Infant Walkers

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued in the Federal Register (FR) a notice of 21 June 2010 a final rule on the safety standard for infant walkers, which will become effective on 21 December 2010 and apply to products manufactured or imported on or after that date. Also published in the FR of the same day is a notice of requirements that provides the criteria and process for CPSC's acceptance of accreditation of third party conformity assessment bodies for testing pursuant to specific CPSC regulations relating to infant walkers, which is effective on 21 June 2010. Interested parties may submit comments in response to this notice of requirements to the CPSC by 21 July 2010.

DETAILS

Safety Standard for Infant Walkers

  1. The safety standard for infant walkers is substantially the same as a voluntary standard developed by ASTM International, ASTM F 977-07, "Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Walkers", with some modifications to make it more stringent in order to further reduce the risk of injury. The major modifications include (i) changing the step test procedures and specifications; (ii) adding the parking brake tests for infant walkers with parking brakes; and (iii) adding and revising warning for the use of the infant walkers. Other details of the safety standard and the testing requirements are set out in the FR notice which is available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-14323.pdf .
     

  2. The CPSC also issued a FR notice on 21 June 2010 to revoke the existing safety standard for infant walkers and the revocation will be effective when the new safety standard mentioned above becomes effective on 21 December 2010. The FR notice is available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-14326.pdf .

Third Party Testing for Infant Walkers: Requirements for Accreditation of Third Party Conformity Assessment Bodies

  1. Pursuant to the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and the issue of final rule on safety standard for infant walkers mentioned above, each manufacturer (including the importer) or private labeller of infant walkers must have such products manufactured on or after 21 December 2010, tested by a third party conformity assessment body accredited to do so and must issue a certificate of compliance with the applicable regulations based on that testing. 
     

  2. Third party conformity assessment bodies, that wish to be accredited to test the infant walkers for conformity with the applicable test methods as codified in the new safety standard mentioned above, must be accredited by an accrediting body that is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation-Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ELAC-MRA) and the accreditation must be registered with, and accepted by the CPSC. The CPSC has established an electronic accreditation registration and listing system that can be accessed via its website at http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/labaccred.html. Details of the requirements for accreditation are set out in the FR notice which is available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-14325.pdf .

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries concerning this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5682.

Yours faithfully,




(Miss Carmen CHAN)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry