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092597 1 (1971-07-28)

handle is hein.gao/gaobacwlw0001 and id is 1 raw text is: UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D C 20548 CIVIL DIVISION JUL 2 8 1971 Dear Dr. Branscomb: We have completed a survey of consumer protection and safety programs being conducted by the National Bureau of Standards. The survey was performed primarily at the Bureau's headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The survey included the gathering of infor- mation on the following programs: Flammable Fabrics, Motor Vehicle Safety, Fair Packaging and Labeling, Fire Research and Safety, and Product Safety. Although we do not intend to review any of the pro- grams in further detail at this time, we wish to take the opportu- nity to present our views on one aspect of the Flammable Fabrics Program. In reviewing the progress of the program under the Flammable Fabrics Act, we noted that no standard or other regulation for wear- ing apparel has become effective during the three and one-half years that have followed passage of amendments to the Act in December 1967. The Department of Commerce issued findings, however, that standards or other regulations might be needed for wearing apparel in general in October 1968 and for certain items of children's wearing apparel in January 1970. Standards or other regulations have not been propos- ed as a result of the October 1968 finding, but a proposed standard for children's sleepwear was published in November 1970. Public com- ments have since been received as a prelude to the possible issuance of a final standard which will normally become effective twelve months after promulgation by the Secretary of Commerce. The Congressional committees, to whom the bill for amending the Act was referred, reported an 1967 that victims of wearing apparel burns are very largely concentrated among the very young and the aged. The Department, however, did not find a possible need for children's wearing apparel standards, as a basis for institution of proceedings, until January 1970 and has not yet found a possible need for standards for wearing apparel of the aged. The January 1970 issuance was based on the Bureau's analysis of 254 cases reported by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Our discussions with Bureau personnel and reviews of Congres- sional hearings inqicate that a major impediment to more timely devel- opment of standards,'is the position taken within the Department that the need for standards must be strongly supported by statistically BEST (10CIME TAVAILABLE 50TH ANNIVERSARY 1921-1971

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