83 FR 10418 - Petition Requesting Rulemaking To Exempt Certain Head Protection Devices From the Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 47 (March 9, 2018)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) received a petition from H[ouml]vding Sweden AB (petitioner or H[ouml]vding) requesting the Commission to exempt ``inflatable head protective devices for bicyclists,'' such as H[ouml]vding's product, from the testing requirements of the Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets, if such product complies with, and is certified to, requirements in another standard that H[ouml]vding states is appropriate to test such products. The Commission invites written comments concerning this petition.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 47 (Friday, March 9, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10418-10419]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04769]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

16 CFR Chapter II

[Docket No. CPSC-2018-0003]


Petition Requesting Rulemaking To Exempt Certain Head Protection 
Devices From the Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or 
CPSC) received a petition from H[ouml]vding Sweden AB (petitioner or 
H[ouml]vding) requesting the Commission to exempt ``inflatable head 
protective devices for bicyclists,'' such as H[ouml]vding's product, 
from the testing requirements of the Safety Standard for Bicycle 
Helmets, if such product complies with, and is certified to, 
requirements in another standard that H[ouml]vding states is 
appropriate to test such products. The Commission invites written 
comments concerning this petition.

DATES: Submit comments by May 8, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2018-0003, by 
any of the following methods:
    Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments to the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. The Commission does not accept 
comments submitted by electronic mail (email), except through 
www.regulations.gov. The Commission encourages you to submit electronic 
comments by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, as described above.
    Written Submissions: Submit written comments by mail/hand delivery/
courier to: Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety 
Commission, Room 820, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; 
telephone (301) 504-7923.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and

[[Page 10419]]

docket number for this notice. All comments received may be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
identifiers, contact information, or other personal information 
provided. Do not submit confidential business information, trade secret 
information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do 
not want to be available to the public. If furnished at all, such 
information should be submitted by mail/hand delivery/courier.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to: http://www.regulations.gov, insert docket 
number CPSC-2018-0003 into the ``Search'' box, and follow the prompts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rocky Hammond, Office of the 
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, 
Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone: 301-504-6833; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 15, 2017, H[ouml]vding submitted 
a petition requesting that the Commission exempt ``inflatable head 
protective devices for bicyclists'' from the testing requirements of 
the Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets, 16 CFR part 1203 (Bike Helmet 
Standard), if such product complies with, and is certified to, 
requirements in a standard developed by SP Technical Research Institute 
of Sweden, SP-method 4439, Inflatable head protective devices with 
electronic triggering system for pedal cyclists (SP-Method 4439).\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ H[ouml]vding requests that the Commission grant such 
exemption through an interim final rule to expedite H[ouml]vding's 
ability to sell products in the U.S. market.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    H[ouml]vding manufactures and markets a product that is intended to 
prevent or reduce head injuries to bicyclists in a crash. The 
H[ouml]vding product is worn around the cyclist's neck, like a collar. 
In the event of a crash, it inflates to cover the rider's head for a 
few seconds and then deflates. H[ouml]vding points out that the 
requirements in the Bike Helmet Standard only anticipate hard shell 
bike helmets and does not anticipate other types of designs that 
protect a cyclist's head. H[ouml]vding states that protective devices 
like its product cannot meet the Bike Helmet Standard, as written, 
because the test procedures are not appropriate for these types of 
inflatable products. According to H[ouml]vding, the Swedish standard, 
SP-Method 4439, was designed to ensure that some of the performance 
criteria applied to hard shell helmets in the Bike Helmet Standard are 
applied to inflatable head protection devices, sufficient to 
demonstrate that such products can protect a cyclist's head in an 
accident.
    By this notice, the Commission seeks comments concerning this 
petition. In particular, the Commission seeks comments on the 
following:
     Does an inflatable helmet provide equivalent or greater 
protection against skull fractures compared to a typical hard shell 
bicycle helmet? Please provide any underlying data or studies relevant 
to this issue.
     Does an inflatable helmet provide equivalent or greater 
protection against concussion compared to a typical hard shell bicycle 
helmet? Please provide any underlying data or studies relevant to this 
issue including identifying the source of any injury thresholds relied 
upon.
     Are there any crash scenarios where the deployment of an 
inflatable helmet will be too slow to protect the user?
     What modifications to the test method in 16 CFR 1203 would 
be needed to evaluate inflatable helmets for the positional stability, 
retention system strength, and impact attenuation requirements?
     What existing standards or other performance requirements 
could be used to evaluate the reliability and integrity of the 
deployment systems in inflatable helmets, such as sensors and 
batteries?
     What existing standards or other performance requirements 
could be used to evaluate the fit of inflatable helmets?
    The petition is available at: http://www.regulations.gov, under 
Docket No. CPSC-2018-0003, Supporting and Related Materials. 
Alternatively, interested parties may obtain a copy of the petition by 
writing or calling the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety 
Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 
504-6833.

Alberta E. Mills,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2018-04769 Filed 3-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6355-01-P