Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

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

Ref : EIC 111/2/21

19 August 2010

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 371/2010

US : CPSC's Notice on Requirements for Accreditation of Third Party Conformity Assessment Bodies related to Testing for Mattresses, Mattress Pads, and/or Mattress Sets for Children's Use

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published in the Federal Register (FR) a notice of 18 August 2010 on 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 the CPSC regulations under the US Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) relating to mattresses, mattress pads, and/or mattress sets, which are designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger. These accreditation requirements came into effect on 18 August 2010. The FR notice is available at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-20507.pdf. Interested parties may submit comments in response to this notice of requirements to the CPSC by 17 September 2010.

2. Traders have been informed via Commercial Information Circular No. 657/2009 of 29 December 2009 of the CPSC's stay of enforcement, until further notice, of testing and certification requirements of a number of products, including mattresses, mattress pads, and/or mattress sets. With the publication of this notice of requirements on 18 August 2010, the stay of enforcement in respect of mattresses, mattress pads, and/or mattress sets since February 2009 has been lifted with immediate effect. 

DETAILS

3. Pursuant to the US Consumer Product Safety Act, as amended by the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, each manufacturer (including the importer) or private labeller of mattresses, mattress pads, and/or mattress sets for children's use must have such products manufactured more than 90 days after the publication date of this notice of requirements, 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. 
    

4. This notice of requirements provides the criteria and process for CPSC's acceptance of accreditation of third party conformity assessment bodies for testing pursuant to Title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 1632, Standard for the Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads (FF 4-72, amended) and/or 1633, Standard for the Flammability (Open Flame) of Mattress Sets), which set minimum standards for flammability of mattresses, mattress pads, and/or mattress sets under the US FFA.
    

5. Third party conformity assessment bodies, that wish to be accredited to test the mattresses, mattress pads, and/or mattress sets for children's use for conformity with the applicable test methods as codified in the standards mentioned above, must be accredited by an accrediting body that is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation-Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC-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. Please refer to the FR notice for details of the requirements for accreditation.

ENQUIRIES

6. 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




　

Note :

While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.