Clothing storage units Furniture (ICS 97.140).

Clothing Storage Unit Tip Overs; Request for Comments and Information

In November 2022, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission published a consumer product safety standard for clothing storage units (CSUs) to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury, with an effective date of 24 May 2023. In December 2022, the President signed into law the STURDY legislation, which requires CPSC to either develop and promulgate a new consumer product safety standard for CSUs that meets certain requirements specified in STURDY or determine that a voluntary standard exists that meets STURDY's requirements. If the Commission determines that a timely issued voluntary standard satisfies STURDY's criteria, then STURDY requires the Commission to promulgate a final consumer product safety standard that adopts the applicable performance requirements of the voluntary standard, to supersede any existing CSU rule. On 19 April 2023, the Commission determined that ASTM F2057-23, Standard Safety Specification for Clothing Storage Units, is a voluntary standard that meets the requirements of STURDY. In light of that determination, this direct final rule adopts the requirements of ASTM F2057-23 as required by STURDY. Because STURDY provides that adoption of the ASTM standard will supersede CPSC's current rule, the current CSU rule, which was added in a final rule published on 25 November 2022, is stayed and will not take effect.

DATES: Effective date: The rule is effective 1 September 2023, unless the Commission receives a significant adverse comment by 5 June 2023. If the Commission receives such a comment, it will publish a document in the Federal Register, withdrawing this direct final rule before its effective date.