CPSIA – Booz Allen Baloney

Hey, how many of you have been contacted by Booz Allen Hamilton to participate in the CPSC Strategic Planning Initiative? On February 17, BAH consultants addressed ICPHSO and told us the following (quoted from my blogpost of February 17):

• Agency is committing to protecting consumers (that’s the angle).
• The agency is committed to inclusiveness and transparency, so they will be asking for input from stakeholders throughout the process.
• Will have focus groups and seminars in the near future. Looking for input and to validate their thinking.
• Will keep you posted on progress and their ideas along the way. Can send in questions for clarification.
• They NEED our input. Transformation efforts need engagement of all stakeholders.

Yet I am now told that the BAH report is due anytime now. Although I requested to be included in this program and although the agency promsied publicly to allow stakeholders to participate in shaping the strategy . . . nothing. It appears to me that NONE of these promises were kept. Rumor has it, however, that the consumer groups were consulted. What-a-surprise!

I think this matters a LOT. After all, credibility and trust are destroyed by broken promises, even if by going quiet the agency is able to induce a sleepy state among stakeholders. That’s not too hard, given the rotten state of the economy that keeps most business people focused on survival, rather than keeping a close eye on the latest twists and turns from the CPSC.

In her keynote speech to the Consumer Federation of America on March 11, 2010, Ms. Tenenbaum bragged about holding RC2, Fisher-Price, Mattel [Fisher-Price and Mattel are the same company, notably] and Target “accountable” for lead-in-paint violations that preceded her term in office. So, if it’s right to hold them “accountable” for their failure to do as expected, who should be held accountable for the utter failure of the CPSC to keep its promises on Booz Allen? Or should we just get ready to applaud appreciatively for the strategic report when issued, as though everything’s fine?

I am tired of getting the shaft in the new CPSIA world.

Read more here:
CPSIA – Booz Allen Baloney

CPSIA – Hearing on Stay to be Webcast Tomorrow

The CPSC Commission will hold a hearing tomorrow in which they will debate the extension of the Stay on testing and certification, among other things. Here is the listing from the CPSC’s current public calendar:

Commission Briefing/Meeting

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon (EST)
Hearing Room 420

Open to the Public
Matters to be Discussed
1) Pending Decisional Matters: (a) Interim Enforcement Policy on Component Testing and Certification (of Lead Paint and Content); (b) Commission Action on Existing Stay of Testing and Certification; (c) Final Rule Registration Cards
2) Lead in Electronic Devices
3) Mandatory Recall Notice Final Rule

A live webcast of the Meeting can be viewed at this link.

Read more here:
CPSIA – Hearing on Stay to be Webcast Tomorrow

CPSIA – Let’s Pretend We’re a Resale Shop!

Read more here:
CPSIA – Let’s Pretend We’re a Resale Shop!

CPSIA – A Rich Irony, Courtesy of the CPSC

As you probably know by now, Mattel won approval from the CPSC for its seven proprietary overseas labs to conduct official and certified safety tests under the CPSIA.

Read this article:
CPSIA – A Rich Irony, Courtesy of the CPSC