Consumer Reports, the independent, non-profit, and nonpartisan member organization, welcomes the opportunity to submit comments to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regarding the recent revision to the voluntary standard for bassinets and cradles, ASTM F2194-22 ε1. We write to express our serious concerns with the revised voluntary standard and urge the CPSC to retain its existing mandatory consumer product safety standard.
Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) requires the Commission to promulgate mandatory standards for durable infant or toddler products, which may be based, in whole or in part, on a voluntary standard. When a standards development organization (SDO) revises a voluntary standard that has been adopted, entirely or partially, as a mandatory standard, section 104(b)(4)(B) of the CPSIA requires SDOs to notify the Commission. The Commission may choose either to allow the revised voluntary standard to take effect after 180 days and be considered a consumer product safety standard issued by the Commission, or alternatively, notify the SDO within 90 days if it determines that the proposed revision does not improve the safety of the consumer product covered by the standard and the Commission is retaining its existing mandatory standard.
For CR’s full comments to the CPSC on the revision to the voluntary standard for bassinets and cradles, click here.