CPSC Announces Two More Settlements, Penalties for Failure to "Immediately Report" Drawstrings
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued notices of its provisional acceptance of settlement agreements and orders containing civil penalties against K.S. Trading Corporation and Maran, Inc. for their alleged failure to immediately report drawstrings in certain children's sweatshirts/jackets.
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Any interested person may ask CPSC not to accept these agreements or otherwise comment on their contents by filing a written request with the Office of the Secretary by October 2, 2009.
K.S. Trading Agrees to Pay $35,000, Maran Agrees to Pay $50,000
CPSC has entered into a provisionally accepted settlement agreement with K.S. Trading, and has issued an order imposing a civil penalty of $35,000, to settle allegations that K.S. Trading failed to report to CPSC immediately, as required by federal law, that boys' hooded sweatshirts it imported and distributed had drawstrings at the neck.
In addition, CPSC has entered into a provisionally accepted settlement agreement with Maran, and has issued an order imposing a civil penalty of $50,000, to settle allegations that Maran failed to report to CPSC immediately, as required by federal law, that girls' corduroy jackets with pink hoods it imported and sold had drawstrings at the neck.
(According to the CPSC, in February 1996 it issued drawstring guidelines to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist drawstrings in upper outerwear, such as jackets and sweatshirts. In May 2006, CPSC's Office of Compliance announced that children's upper outerwear with drawstrings at the hood or neck would be regarded as defective and a substantial risk of injury to young children.)
Reporting to CPSC Required to Occur Within 24 Hours
Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to report to CPSC immediately (within 24 hours) after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, presents an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or violates any consumer product safety rule or any other rule, regulation, standard, or ban enforced by the CPSC.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 09/10/09 news, 09091099 1, for previous BP summary.)
CPSC contact - Dennis Kacoyanis (301) 504-7587
CPSC FR notice for K.S. Trading (FR Pub 09/17/09) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-22398.pdf
CPSC FR notice for Maran (FR Pub 09/17/09) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-22399.pdf
CPSC press release (dated 09/08/09) available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09339.html