CPSC Proposes New Safety Standard for Adult Portable Bed Rails
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is proposing a new safety standard for adult portable bed rails. The agency’s Nov. 9 proposed rule would adopt the voluntary industry standard ASTM F3186-17 as mandatory, with some modifications. The new standard would take effect 30 days after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register, and would include provisions to prevent stockpiling prior to the effective date.
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The proposal defines adult portable bed rails as “products that are installed or used alongside of a bed by consumers and are intended to reduce the risk of falling from the bed, assist the consumer in repositioning in the bed, or assist the consumer in transitioning into or out of the bed.” They are generally installed by consumers, and not designed as part of a bed by the bed manufacturer.
The standard would address entrapment hazards related to adult portable bed rails. Beyond the requirements of ASTM F3186-17, the proposed rule would provide additional definitions for product “assembly” and “installation,” include recommendations that manufacturers take into account a range of mattress thicknesses and address inconsistencies in the voluntary standard to ensure consistent dimensional tolerances, among other things.
Stockpiling provisions in the proposal would bar the import or manufacture of adult portable bed rails between the issuance of the final rule and its effective date at a rate of more than 105% of the rate that a company imported or manufactured during the 13 months prior to the publication of the final rule.
The deadline for written comments is Jan. 9.