83 FR 26228 - Resubmission of Petition To Mandate a Uniform Labeling Method for Traction of Floor Coverings, Floor Coverings With Coatings, and Treated Floor Coverings; Request for Comments

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 109 (June 6, 2018)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) received a resubmitted petition from the National Floor Safety Institute (petitioner or NFSI), requesting that the agency require manufacturers of floor coverings and coatings to label their products and provide point of purchase information regarding slip-resistance, using the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B101.5-2014 Standard Guide for Uniform Labeling Method for Identifying the Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (Traction) of Floor Coverings, Floor Coverings with Coatings, and Treated Floor Coverings (ANSI B101.5). The Commission invites written comments concerning this petition.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 6, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 26228-26229]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-12074]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

16 CFR Chapter II

[Docket No. CPSC-2018-0014]


Resubmission of Petition To Mandate a Uniform Labeling Method for 
Traction of Floor Coverings, Floor Coverings With Coatings, and Treated 
Floor Coverings; Request for Comments

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notification of petition for rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) received a 
resubmitted petition from the National Floor Safety Institute 
(petitioner or NFSI), requesting that the agency require manufacturers 
of floor coverings and coatings to label their products and provide 
point of purchase information regarding slip-resistance, using the 
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B101.5-2014 Standard Guide 
for Uniform Labeling Method for Identifying the Dynamic Coefficient of 
Friction (Traction) of Floor Coverings, Floor Coverings with Coatings, 
and Treated Floor Coverings (ANSI B101.5). The Commission invites 
written comments concerning this petition.

DATES: Submit comments by August 6, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2018-0014, 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 Secretariat, 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 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-2018-0014 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 April 19, 2018, NFSI submitted a 
petition, docketed as CP 18-2, requesting that the Commission require 
manufacturers of floor coverings and coatings to label their products, 
and provide point-of-purchase information regarding slip-resistance, 
using the ANSI B101.5 voluntary standard. NFSI's petition request is a 
resubmission of a prior petition (CP 16-1), which the Commission voted 
to deny.\1\ The resubmitted petition contains certain modifications and 
additional information.
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    \1\ December 13, 2016 Record of Commission Action, available at: 
https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/RCA%20-%20Petition%20CP%2016-1%20Labeling%20Requirements%20Regarding%20Slip-Resistance%20of%20Floor%20Coverings%20121316.pdf.
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    As with the previous petition, NFSI states that it seeks to reduce 
injuries and fatalities related to consumer slips and falls, 
particularly involving the elderly, by requesting CPSC to mandate that 
floor coverings for sale to consumers be labeled to provide information 
about the traction of each product. NFSI states that different types of 
floor coverings have wide ranging differences in slip-resistance, which 
can make certain types of flooring inappropropriate for a specific use. 
NFSI contends that currently, consumers have no uniform information to 
compare differences in traction with various floor covering options. 
NFSI states that the labeling it urges is easy to understand and will 
benefit consumers, particularly the elderly, by informing consumers of 
the traction or safety of the products at the point of sale.
    Responding to commenters' and the Commission's concerns regarding 
the previous petition (CP 16-1), NFSI made modifications to the current 
petition request and provided additional information to support its 
petition for rulemaking. By this notice, the Commission seeks comments 
concerning this renewed petition, including whether the modifications 
and additional information provided by NFSI address the concerns set 
forth in the Commission's January 19, 2017 letter to NFSI denying 
petition CP 16-1.\2\ In particular, the Commission seeks comment on the 
petitioner's proposed method for determining wet dynamic coefficient of 
friction, and whether such method is accurate and repeatable on all 
hard surfaces that would be subject to the proposed labeling.
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    \2\ January 18, 2017 Record of Commission Action and January 19, 
2017 Letter to Russell J. Kendzior, President and Chairman of the 
Board, National Floor Safety Institute, available at: https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/RCA%20-%20Draft%20Letter%20to%20Petitioner%20Regarding%20Denial%20of%20Petition%20CP%2016-1%20Floor%20Coverings%20011817.pdf.
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    The petition is available at: http://www.regulations.gov, under 
Docket No. CPSC-2018-0014, Supporting and Related Materials. 
Alternatively, interested parties may obtain a copy of the petition by 
writing or calling the

[[Page 26229]]

Office of the Secretariat, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 
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East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504-6833.

Alberta E. Mills,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2018-12074 Filed 6-5-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P