Tuesday, December 16, 2008

New US Regulation CPSIA - Part 4 (Certification)

According to CPSIA, section 102, certifications are mandated for all consumer products sold in USA, both imported and domestic that are subjected to any of the other ACTS for which the CPSC has jurisdiction.

General Conformity Cerification (for any Consumer Products)
Consumer products are defined as any product that is used in residence, school, or for recreational or personal use. The general conformity certification (GCC) is an amendment of paragraph (1) of section 14(a)(15 U.S.C. 2063(a). It is required for all consumer products subject to CPSA bans as well as standards, or to any similar rules, such as Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) and Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA).

For Flammable Fabrics Act, the requirements for clothing textiles, 16C.F.R. Part 1610, wearing apparel includes any costume or article of clothing that people wear. The standard applies to all textiles used in adult and children's wearing apparel. Most children's sleepwear must also meet more stringent flammability requireent (16 C.F.R. Part 1615 & 1616). Most hats, gloves, footwear, and fabrics used between the linings and other fabrics of garments are not required to meet this standard.

A certifictae shall certify, based on "a test of each product or upon a reasonable testing program"; and specify that the product meets all applicable CPSC requirements. Certification will be required for products that are manufactured on or after Novemeber 12, 2008. You can consult to the testing laboratory for test suggestion.


Certification of children's Products
Certification of children's products imposes an additional third-party testing requirement for consumer products primarily intended for children that are 12 or younger. Each children's product in the following categories that is manufactured more than 90 days after that date (when CPSC publishes accreditation procedure) must be tested at a CPSC accredited thrid party laboratory and certified to the applicable requirements.

  • Lead Paint, 16 CFR Part 130 (effective date 12/21/2008)
  • Full-Size Cribs, 16 CFR Part 1508 (effective date 01/20/2009)
  • Non Full-Size Cribs, 16 CFR Part 1509 (effective date 01/20/2009)
  • Pacifiers, 16 CFR Part 1511 (effective date 01/20/2009)
  • Small Parts Rule, 16 CFR Part 1501 (effective date 02/15/2009)
You can check the below site for further information about accredited laboratories by CPSC.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgi-bin/labapplist.aspx

Certificates must "accompany" each product or shipment of products covered by the same certificate. This may not include certian products are imported for testing, for trade shows or for re-export, etc. In addition, the responsibilities of issuing certificates are the importers in the case of products manufactured outside the US and the domestic manufacturer in the case of products manufactured in the US. Test laboratories cannot issue certificates.

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