Resent articles by the "CPSC Monitor" from The Free Libraryhttp://www.thefreelibrary.comen-usFarlex, Inc.Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:05:06 GMT360http://www.thefreelibrary.comhttp://www.thefreelibrary.com/_/static/TFLbyFarlex.gif17565Thu, 1 Apr 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Stratton+pursues+international+agenda%3b+signs+agreement+with...-a0116409295
Chairman Hal Stratton became the first chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to visit China. In March, he went to Beijing to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding an agreement for better consumer protection in both the U.S. and China. (1)

On April 21, Stratton formally signed the MOU with Chinese Minister Li Changjiang at a...]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+other+company+is+E+%26+B+Giftware%2c+which+manufactured+approximately...-a0114476670
The other company is E & B Giftware, which manufactured approximately 47,000 "Money to Burn Torch citronella candles. The candles allegedly released molten hot wax on consumers causing burns. The company stopped sale of the candles and recalled the candles from retailers without notifying the government or consumers. CPSC alleged that E& B Giftware failed to...]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Two+companies+recently+paid+large+civil+penalty+fines+to+CPSC+for...-a0114476669
Two companies recently paid large civil penalty fines to CPSC for reporting violations. Imperial Toy Corp. of Los Angeles, agreed to a $200,000 civil penalty for importing and selling toys that violated safety standards. The toys involved were candy-filled plastic trucks and dolls' feeding sets. The trucks were recalled in 1998 and the dolls feeding sets in 2001. The civil penalty...]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Pediatrics.-a0114476668
But paintball injuries, especially serious eye injuries, appear to be increasing among kids who use paintball guns. CPSC says that paintball injuries to children under 15 doubled between 1998 and 2000. A study in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics noted that most of the injuries were to the eye, and caused permanent vision damage in 43.1% of patients. Operators of...]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Rocky+Mountain+News.-a0114476667
It looks like skiers are beginning to get the message about the benefits of helmets. According to a story in the Rocky Mountain News, Jan. 28, manufacturers are reporting a 31.8% increase in sales last season. CPSC says that in 1998, more than 16,000 head injuries occurred to skiers and snowboarders. Helmet use can prevent at least 7,000 head injuries each year, CPSC says.]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+latest+CPSC+report+on+Amusement+Ride-Related+Injuries+and+Deaths...-a0114476666
The latest CPSC report on Amusement Ride-Related Injuries and Deaths did not make big news this year. One of the reasons is that when the report was released, CPSC did not even issue a news release. Another is that in 2001, a hospital that previously had reported to NEISS, CPSC's injury reporting arm, left the system. Since it is located close to a fixed-site amusement park, it...]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Hal+Stratton.-a0114476665
CPSC has a new General Counsel. John Gibson "Gib" Mullan, formerly of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, has joined Hal Stratton's CPSC team. Mullan has a background in administrative law and regulatory litigation and is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania.]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Fitness+equipment+recalled%3b+company's+stock+drops.-a0114476664
One recent CPSC recall created an immediate financial problem for the manufacturer. The company involved reportedly lost an estimated $80 million when customers and investors reacted to the news story.

A Vancouver, Washington-based company, The Nautilus Group, Inc., had

joined with CPSC in announcing a recall of its Bowflex Power Pro strength machine Jan. 29....]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Commissioners+set+strategic+goals+for+2004.-a0114476663
As noted in January's CPSC Monitor, Chairman Hal Stratton mentioned, among others, three strategic goals for the agency in 2004. They are: (1) reducing residential fires, (2) reducing childhood drownings in and around the home, and (3) reducing the number of carbon monoxide deaths.

The strategic goals are reflected in the new Fiscal 2004 Operating and Performance...]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/House+committee+grills+commissioners+on+budget+request.-a0114476662
Members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent Agencies closely questioned CPSC's Chairman and two Commissioners at a hearing on Feb. 25 about whether the budget numbers in the President's request for Fiscal Year 2005 were adequate to support the work of the agency.

The current CPSC 2004 appropriation is $59.6 million, an increase of some...]]>Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/No+consensus+on+upholstered+furniture+flammability+standard.-a0114476661
Earlier predictions that the furniture industry and CPSC were about to agree on a draft upholstered furniture standard may have been premature. At a meeting between the two groups at CPSC Headquarters in Bethesda, MD on March 1, industry representatives sought to persuade CPSC staff to amend testing methods contained in the staff's current draft standard.

Present at the...]]>Thu, 1 Jan 2004 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Stratton+says+he+will+work+to+make+2004+safest+year+on+record.-a0113681557
CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton will face some tough issues in 2004--not the least of which are dealing with Congress on reauthorization, crafting an upholstered furniture standard acceptable to industry and consumers, dealing with recall effectiveness and addressing rising injury rates for All-terrain vehicles.

But Stratton says his agency has made good progress in 2003,...]]>