ANSI Updates New York State Assembly on Hazardous Toys
December 11, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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Representatives from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) addressed ANSI's involvement in efforts to mitigate toy safety issues during testimony last month before the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection - Subcommittee on Child Product Safety.
The comments of Scott Cooper, ANSI's vice president of government relations, reflected remarks raised in his Oct. 1 report to the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety.
ANSI joined representatives of the Toy Industry Association (TIA), the Retail Federation of New York and a host of consumer organizations, testing laboratories, doctors, lawyers and other affected stakeholders during the public hearing in New York City.
A range of toy safety issues were discussed during the hearing, including the adequacy of the consumer product recall system and how the state can best protect children from toy safety hazards, including the possible need for additional legislation at the state level.
"The assembly was pleased to learn of ANSI's proactive engagement with the toy industry," said Cooper. "They understand that the institute is working with industry and government to help build a system that is consistent and sustainable."
Cooper's remarks assured the New York legislators that standards and conformity assessment resources are already in place to help address consumer concerns, and that efforts to identify existing gaps in the toy safety compliance system are on target for a year-end wrap-up report.
ANSI said it is working with the toy industry to help identify standardized procedures that can be used to verify that products comply with agreed safety requirements. The institute also pledged to help develop the tools needed to evaluate the conformity assessment bodies that the toy industry relies upon to ensure the safety of their products.
Source: American National Standards Institute (ANSI).