[Federal Register: April 16, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 73)]
[Notices]               
[Page 18593]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ap02-45]                         

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CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION

[CPSC Docket No. 02-1]

 
In the Matter of Chemetron Corporation, et al.; Prehearing 
Conference

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice of first prehearing conference.

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DATE: This notice announces a prehearing conference to be held in the 
matter of Chemetron Corporation, Chemetron Investments, Inc., Sunbeam 
Corporation, Sprinkler Corporation of Milwaukee, Inc. and Grucon 
Corporation on May 1, 2002 at 10 a.m.

ADDRESS: The prehearing conference will be in hearing room 420 of the 
East-West Towers Building, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 
20814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd A. Stevenson, Secretary, U.S. 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC; telephone (301) 
504-0800; telefax (301) 504-01237.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This public notice is issued pursuant to 16 
CFR 1025.21(b) of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Rules 
of Practice of Adjudicative Proceedings to inform the public that a 
prehearing conference will be held in administrative proceeding under 
Section 15 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA or Act) captioned 
CPSC Docket No. 02-1, In the Matter of Chemetron Corporation, Chemetron 
Investments, Inc., Sunbeam Corporation, Sprinkler Corporation of 
Milwaukee, Inc. and Grucon Corporation. The Presiding Officer in the 
proceeding is United States Administrative Law Judge William B. Moran. 
The Presiding Officer has determined that, for good and sufficient 
cause, the time period for holding this first prehearing conference had 
to be extended to the date announced above, which date is beyond the 
fifty (50) day period referenced in 16 CFR 1025.21(a).
    The public is referred to the Code of Regulations citation listed 
above for identification of the issues to be raised at the conference 
and is advised that the date, time and place of the hearing also will 
be established at the conference.
    Substantively, the issues being litigated in this proceeding are 
described by the Presiding Officer to include: Whether the Star ME-1, a 
dry fire sprinkler manufactured from 1977 through 1995 is, within the 
meaning of the CPSA, a ``consumer product'' which was distributed in 
commerce; whether, as a result of inadequate design and/or 
manufacturing, this sprinkler model has failed to operate as intended 
in fires and constitutes a ``defect'' under the Act, which presents a 
``substantial product hazard,'' creating a substantial risk of injury 
to consumers, within the meaning of Section 15(a)(2), (c) and (d) of 
the CPSA, 15 U.S.C. 2064(a)(2), (c) and (d). Should these allegations 
be proven, Complaint Counsel for the Office of Compliance of the U.S. 
Consumer Product Safety Commission seeks a finding that the product 
presents a substantial product hazard and that public notification be 
made pursuant to section 15(c) of the CPSA and that other appropriate 
relief be directed, as set forth in the Compliant.

    April 10, 2002.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-9140 Filed 4-15-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-M