Conformity Magazine - September 2007 - (Page 67)

NewsBreaks Updated Guidance Document on Laser Products Issued The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an updated version of its “Guidance on Laser Products” that may offer compliance relief to some manufacturers. The Guidance document is an effort to clarify for manufacturers of laser products how to meet the FDA’s requirements, which are based on Edition 1.2 of IEC 60825-1 issued in August 2001, while also addressing differing criteria found in IEC 60825-1, Edition 2, which was released earlier this year. Although the FDA intends to amend its current requirements to ensure greater consistency with the provisions of Edition 2 of the standard and to ease the compliance process, it has not yet done so; hence the need for guidance from the agency. In essence, the Guidance document identifies those areas where the FDA will allow manufacturers to demonstrate compliance with either version of the standard, as well as those areas of the present FDA regulations that will remain unchanged. Our readers can view the complete text of the FDA’s Guidance document at www.conformity.com/0920. consumers that some heating pads had caused fires and burns. The FDA says that the source of the problem may be a loose connection in the heating pad which could cause a short circuit. Our readers can view the complete text of the FDA’s advisory on HoMedics heating pads at www.conformity. com/0921. A “Q&A” prepared by the FDA on HoMedics heating pads can be viewed at www.conformity.com/0922. which the CPSC identifies a Chinese manufacturer of a recalled product, it will send letters (in both English and Mandarin) to both the AQSIQ and the manufacturer explaining the recall and enclosing a copy of the CPSC press release announcing the recall. Our readers can view the complete CPSC China Program Plan at www.conformity.com/0923. CPSC Issues China Product Safety Program Report The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released a report summarizing the agency’s efforts to reduce the number of unsafe consumer products imported into the U.S. from China. According to the CPSC, about twothirds of all U.S. product recalls involve imported products. Since products manufactured in China account for approximately 40% of all consumer products imported into the U.S., efforts to curb the importation of defective products from China has become a major agency priority. The CPSC China Product Safety Program is based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries, and includes the development of a “Plan of Action for Cooperation” that details specific activities to be carried out by each country. The primary thrust of the Program efforts is on facilitating and improving communication and coordination between the CPSC and China’s General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). Initial work under the Program will focus on electrical products, toys, cigarette lighters and fireworks. At the same time, in those instances in Other CPSC Actions In The News In conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the following manufacturers have issued voluntary recalls for certain consumer electrical and electronic products. Here are the details: Notebook Computer Batteries: Gateway, Inc. of Irvine, CA has recalled about 14,000 lithium-ion battery packs manufactured in China. The company says that the battery packs can overheat, thereby posing a fire hazard to consumers. Gateway notes that it has received four reports of batteries overheating, including minor property damage, but no injuries. The recalled battery packs were sold through Gateway distributors and at Gateway Country stores nationwide from May 2003 through August 2003. Notebook computers equipped with the battery packs sold for between $1200 and $2400, while individual battery packs sold for between $60 and $90. Gas Ranges: GE Consumer and Industrial, based in Louisville, KY, is recalling about 2600 of its GE Monogram brand professional gas ranges. GE says that a design flaw in the ranges can cause an electrical arc between the wiring and the griddle gas supply tube, posing a fire hazard. The company has received reports of six separate incidents in which gas leaked from the griddle gas supply tube, resulting in five fires under the range top, and one reported injury and two reports of smoke damage. The gas September 2007 Conformity 67 FDA Offers Advice on Defective Heating Pads The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory on defective heating pads that could pose a burn hazard to consumers. The advisory deals with electric heating pads distributed by HoMedics, Inc. and sold through Walgreens and other retail drug and department stores in 2001 and 2002. Earlier this year, HoMedics recalled approximately 292,000 heating pads after receiving complaints from http://www.conformity.com/0923 http://www.conformity.com/0922 http://www.conformity.com/0920

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Conformity Magazine - September 2007

Contents Editor’s Note FCC Extends Disability Access Requirements to VOIP Commission Fines Importer $3 Million Over Non-Compliant TVs FCC Gets Tough on Retailers Over Analog TV Tuner Labeling Analog Cellular Service Sunset Date Reaffirmed Commission Adopts Recommendations of Katrina Panel Free-Space Antenna Factors Through the Use of Time-Domain Signal Processing Editorial Correction ESD Open Forum An Update on Revisions to IEC 61000-4-2, the Basic Standard on ESD Practical Advice for Meeting the DFS Testing Requirements of the FCC The EMC Impact of Embedded Software ESD Design Buyer's Guide Tate Renominated to the FCC EPA Releases Report on U.S. Electronic Waste Additional Standards For The EU’s Toy Directive Medical Device Manufacturer Enters Consent Order Updated Guidance Document on Laser Products Issued FDA Offers Advice on Defective Heating Pads CPSC Issues China Product Safety Program Report Other CPSC Actions In The News IEC Standards Update Product Reviews Product News UL Standards Update From Our “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” Department Looking Back: Items from Past Issues of Conformity Advertisers

Conformity Magazine - September 2007

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