The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced that it will soon propose a consumer product safety standard for both walk-behind and riding style power lawn mowers. The standard will be directed toward significantly reducing the number of injuries to consumers which are associated with power lawn mowers.
On August 15, 1973, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute petitioned the Commission to begin a proceeding to develop a safety standard for lawn mowers. The petition was granted and on July 22, 1974, the Commission began the proceeding by publishing a notice in the Federal Register, inviting interested persons to submit an existing standard as a proposed consumer product safety standard or to offer to develop a recommended safety standard.
In 1974, the Commission accepted the offer of Consumers Union of United States, Inc. (CU), to develop a recommended safety standard applicable to power lawn mowers. The standard being proposed by CPSC is a modified version of the standard recommended by CU. CU's recommended standard was modified after extensive Commission analysis in order to further reduce the risks which the standard addresses or in order to lessen the adverse effect of certain of its provisions on the cost, utility, or availability of power lawn mowers consistent with public health and safety.
The proposal will be published in the Federal Register within the next several weeks for a 60 day comment period.
Anyone wishing additional information relevant to this proceeding should contact the Office of the Secretary, 3rd Floor, 1111 -18th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20207.
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
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