CPSIA: CPSC grants one-year stay on testing for certain products

A one-year stay on certain parts of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was enacted today by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The action gives "some temporary, limited relief to the crafters, children's garment manufacturers and toy makers who had been subject to the testing and certification required under the CPSIA," according to the CPSC statement.

The stay does NOT apply to:

• Four requirements for third-party testing and certification of certain children's products subject to:

1. The ban on lead in paint and other surface coatings effective for products made after December 21, 2008;
2. The standards for full-size and non full-size cribs and pacifiers effective for products made after January 20, 2009;
3. The ban on small parts effective for products made after February 15, 2009; 
   
4. The limits on lead content of metal components of children‚'s jewelry effective for products made after March 23, 2009.

• Certification requirements applicable to ATV's manufactured after April 13, 2009.
• Pre-CPSIA testing and certification requirements, including for: automatic residential garage door openers, bike helmets, candles with metal core wicks, lawnmowers, lighters, mattresses, and swimming pool slides; 
  
• Pool drain cover requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act.

In a statement, Consumers Union said: "We would have preferred the CPSC to use its authority under the law to grant specific exemptions for products that pose little or no health risk. This stay of enforcement for one year goes beyond what would have been necessary if the CPSC had addressed the concerns in a timely manner. Nevertheless, it does preserve the most critical intent of the law -- to protect children from dangerous products -- while leaving time to sort out implementation issues."