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Contact: Adrienne Citrin
Toy Industry Association
646.520.4863 | acitrin@toyassociation.org
Toy Safety Certification Program® Opens for
Business:
Provides New Tool for Compliance with CPSIA Requirements
New York, NY | October 1, 2009 – The Toy
Industry Association (TIA) announced today the participant launch of its
Toy Safety Certification Program® (TSCPSM), a
comprehensive initiative to help assure compliance with the federal
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and enhance the safety
of toys sold in the United States. Toy companies are now able to
apply for TSCP certification of their products; toys certified under the
Program will begin to appear on retail shelves throughout
2010.
Under the TSCP, toy manufacturers and importers must demonstrate that
they have taken steps in the design and manufacturing process to assure
that their toys meet the U.S. safety standards, in addition to testing
production samples pursuant to the requirements of new federal
laws. TSCP certification signifies that manufacturers have
performed an analysis of their toy designs to identify and correct
safety issues, assessed quality control processes at production
facilities, and performed the prescribed safety tests on product samples
using accredited laboratories. Certificates are available for
review and use by U.S. regulatory authorities as required by federal
law, and also by retailers and – eventually –
consumers.
The TSCP also fulfills the testing requirements that have been
previously imposed by many retailers, thus mitigating the burden of
redundant testing. Retailers have been involved in development of
the Program; several major retailers have pledged to accept TSCP
certification to meet their overlapping requirements once the Program
has been fully implemented.
Certification Bodies (CBs) accredited by the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) under internationally recognized standards
and practices are responsible for verifying that the certification
requirements of the TSCP have been met by participating toy companies
and private labelers.
“In August 2007, the TIA Board of Directors took unprecedented
steps by publically supporting a federal law mandating product testing
and committing to engage all stakeholders – toy companies,
retailers, government, consumers, testing labs, factories, and others
– in the establishment of an industry-wide process to help assure
that toys sold in the U.S. market comply with our stringent safety
standards and laws,” explained Carter Keithley, TIA
president. “With today’s launch of the TSCP, that
commitment has been fulfilled.”
The TSCP is expected to reduce redundant retailer demands for testing
and certification, testing frequency requirements, and the risk of
inspection and detention or seizure of import shipments by U.S. Customs
and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC). CBP and CPSC officials will have secure, 24/7
access to an efficient information technology platform that will house
product certification data and support the use of tracking labels
required by federal law.”
The CPSC’s five Commissioners, including Chairman Inez
Tenenbaum, are expected to hold a public meeting to review the TSCP in
the near future. By November 14, the CPSC must establish protocols
and standards for ensuring that a children’s product tested for
compliance with an applicable standard is subject to testing on a
regular schedule and also when there has been a material change in the
product’s design or manufacturing process.
“We have confidence in the TSCP and hope that Chairman
Tenenbaum and her fellow Commissioners will not only recognize its
integrity and value, but also endorse its use by the toy
industry,” said Elizabeth Borrelli, TSCP executive director.
“This Program is the toy industry’s solution to fulfill the
requirements of the CPSIA in an effective, efficient and low-cost
manner.”
Historically, CPSC has given recognition to credible and effective
industry-administered compliance programs once they are satisfied with
the reliability of such programs.
The TSCP Oversight Council – a cross-sector group of
stakeholders appointed to provide guidance and direction for the
program’s development and implementation – unanimously voted
to launch the TSCP for participants. The Program was developed by
TIA with assistance and support from independent safety authorities and
input from consumer organizations. The TSCP will be administered
by TIA. ANSI has sole responsibility for accrediting TSCP
certification bodies.
About TIA
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for producers and importers
of toys and youth entertainment products sold in North America,
representing over 500 companies who account for approximately 85 percent
of domestic toy sales. Toy safety is the number one priority for
the toy industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety
including development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard
more than 30 years ago, and working with government, consumers and
industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe play. For more
information about the TSCP, visit www.toycertification.org.
About ANSI
ANSI is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance
U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by
promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary
standardization and conformity assessment system. The Institute is the
official U.S. representative to the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International
Electrotechnical Commission, and is a U.S. representative to
the International
Accreditation Forum (IAF).
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