§2056f — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) must create safety rules for free‑standing furniture made for storing clothes (called “clothing storage units”). A clothing storage unit means any freestanding bedroom furniture made or imported for storing clothes. Within 1 year after December 29, 2022, the CPSC must review voluntary standards with makers, consumer groups, and child‑safety experts and issue a final rule to protect children up to 72 months of age from tip‑overs. The rule must use tests that simulate children up to 60 pounds, be repeatable and realistic (including use on carpet, drawers with items, multiple open drawers, and dynamic force), cover all units including those 27 inches and taller, and include warnings based on ASTM F2057–19 or its successor (the CPSC can make warnings stronger). Tests must allow built‑in safety features (but not tip restraints) to work if they cannot be turned off in normal use. If an acceptable voluntary standard exists and was published within 60 days after December 29, 2022, the CPSC must adopt it within 90 days; that adopted standard takes effect 120 days after adoption and replaces other standards. If a voluntary standard is later changed, the group that changed it must tell the CPSC, which then has 90 days to review and, if approved, 180 days to put the change in effect. Starting 5 years after December 29, 2022, the CPSC may begin rulemaking at any time to update the standard. If someone petitions for a new or revised test that lets safety features work and provides equal or better protection, the CPSC must check the petition within 120 days and then decide by recorded vote within 60 days whether to start changing the rule.

Title 15, §2056f

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section, the term “clothing storage unit” means any free-standing furniture item manufactured in the United States or imported for use in the United States that is intended for the storage of clothing, typical of bedroom furniture.

(b)The Consumer Product Safety Commission shall specify the types of furniture items within the scope of subsection (a) as part of a standard promulgated under this section based on tip-over data as reasonably necessary to protect children up to 72 months of age from injury or death.

(c)(1)Except as provided in subsection (f)(1), not later than 1 year after December 29, 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall—

(A)in consultation with representatives of consumer groups, clothing storage unit manufacturers, craft or handmade furniture manufacturers, and independent child product engineers and experts, examine and assess the effectiveness of any voluntary consumer product safety standards for clothing storage units; and

(B)in accordance with section 553 of title 5 and paragraph (2), promulgate a final consumer product safety standard for clothing storage units to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury, that shall take effect 180 days after the date of promulgation or such a later date as the Commission determines appropriate.

(2)The standard promulgated under paragraph (1) shall protect children from tip-over-related death or injury with—

(A)tests that simulate the weight of children up to 60 pounds;

(B)objective, repeatable, reproducible, and measurable tests or series of tests that simulate real-world use and account for impacts on clothing storage unit stability that may result from placement on carpeted surfaces, drawers with items in them, multiple open drawers, and dynamic force;

(C)testing of all clothing storage units, including those 27 inches and above in height; and

(D)warning requirements based on ASTM F2057–19, or its successor at the time of enactment, provided that the Consumer Product Safety Commission may strengthen the warning requirements of ASTM F2057–19, or its successor, if reasonably necessary to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury.

(3)Tests referred to in paragraph (2)(B) shall allow for the utilization of safety features (excluding tip restraints) to work as intended if the features cannot be overridden by consumers in normal use.

(4)A consumer product safety standard promulgated under paragraph (1) shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 2058 of this title.

(d)(1)If a voluntary standard exists that meets the requirements of paragraph (2), the Commission shall, not later than 90 days after the date on which such determination is made and in accordance with section 553 of title 5, promulgate a final consumer product safety standard that adopts the applicable performance requirements of such voluntary standard related to protecting children from tip-over-related death or injury. A consumer product safety standard promulgated under this subsection shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 2058 of this title. Such standard shall take effect 120 days after the date of the promulgation of the rule, or such a later date as the Commission determines appropriate. Such standard will supersede any other existing standard for clothing storage units to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury.

(2)The requirements of this paragraph with respect to a voluntary standard for clothing storage units are that such standard—

(A)protects children up to 72 months of age from tip-over-related death or injury;

(B)meets the requirements described in subsection (c)(2);

(C)is, or will be, published not later than 60 days after December 29, 2022; and

(D)is developed by ASTM International or such other standard development organization that the Commission determines is in compliance with the intent of this section.

(3)The Commission shall publish a notice in the Federal Register upon beginning the promulgation of a rule under this subsection.

(e)(1)If the performance requirements of a voluntary standard adopted under subsection (d) are subsequently revised, the organization that revised the performance requirements of such standard shall notify the Commission of such revision after final approval.

(2)Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Commission is notified of revised performance requirements of a voluntary standard described in paragraph (1) (or such later date as the Commission determines appropriate), the Commission shall determine whether the revised performance requirements meet the requirements of subsection (d)(2)(B), and if so, modify, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, the standard promulgated under subsection (d) to include the revised performance requirements that the Commission determines meet such requirements. The modified standard shall take effect after 180 days or such later date as the Commission deems appropriate.

(f)(1)Beginning 5 years after December 29, 2022, subsequent to the publication of a consumer product safety standard under this section, the Commission may, at any time, initiate rulemaking, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, to modify the requirements of such standard or to include additional provisions if the Commission makes a determination that such modifications or additions are reasonably necessary to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury.

(2)(A)If the Commission receives a petition for a new or revised test that permits incorporated safety features (excluding tip restraints) to work as intended, if the features cannot be overridden by consumers in normal use and provide an equivalent or greater level of safety as the tests developed under subsection (c)(2) or the performance requirements described in subsection (d)(2)(B), as applicable, the Commission shall determine within 120 days—

(i)whether the petition meets the requirements for petitions set forth in section 1051.5 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation implementing section 2058(i) of this title; and

(ii)whether the petition demonstrates that the test could reasonably meet the requirements of subsection (c)(2)(B), and if so, the Commission shall determine by recorded vote, within 60 days after the determination, whether to initiate rulemaking, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, to revise a consumer product safety standard promulgated under this section to include the new or revised test.

(B)Compliance with the testing requirements of a standard revised under subparagraph (A) may be demonstrated either through the performance of a new or revised test under subparagraph (A) or the performance of the tests otherwise required under a standard promulgated under this section.

(3)Any rule promulgated under this subsection, including any modification or revision made under this subsection, shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 2058 of this title.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, and not as part of the Consumer Product Safety Act which comprises this chapter.

§2056f Consumer Product Safety Standard to Protect Against Tip-over of Clothing Storage Units

Summary

Title 15, §2056f

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

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