CPSC Proposed Rule Would Ban Infant Bath Seats Not Meeting Certain New Requirements
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a proposed rule that would ban infant bath seats that do not meet certain requirements. Written comments are due by March 15, 2004.
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CPSC Proposes Requirements for Bath Seat Stability, Leg Openings, & Labeling
The CPSC believes these proposed requirements will address the major hazard scenarios its staff identified that related to the bath seats' design and materials, namely: (1) the bath seat tipping over during use; (2) the child coming out of the bath seat; and (3) the child becoming entrapped and/or submerged in the leg openings of the bath seat. The CPSC proposed rule would ban all bath seats that do not meet the following requirements:
Stability Requirement - The proposed rule would provide that the geometry and construction of the bath seat shall not allow the bath seat to tip over after being tested in accordance with a proposed stability test on a slip-resistant surface.
Leg Opening Requirement - This requirement tests all side and leg openings with two test probes (one for torsos and one for shoulders). To comply with this requirement, the torso probe must not pass through any side or leg openings and the shoulder probe must not slide through any side or leg openings nor be able to rotate in a manner that allows the upper end of the probe to touch the seating surface.
Labeling Requirement - Because the CPSC staff concluded that no performance criteria could effectively address the hazard scenario of children coming out of the bath seats at this time, the CPSC would require that warning language on the bath seat be strengthened to state that: "WARNING Children have drowned while using bath seats. ALWAYS keep baby within arm's reach. This bathing aid is NOT a safety device. Stop using when a child is able to pull to a standing position."
(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/09/01 news, 01080937, for BP summary of CPSC's advance notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject.)
CPSC proposed rule (FR Pub 12/29/03) available athttp://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/pdf/03-31135.pdf