II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2084 

To direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue regulations 

concerning the safety and labeling of portable generators. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 13, 2005 

Mr. NELSON of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue 

regulations concerning the safety and labeling of portable 

generators. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Portable Generator 

5 Safety Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Portable generators are frequently used to 

9 provide electricity during temporary power outages. 
2 

•S 2084 IS 

1 These generators use fuel-burning engines that emit 

2 carbon monoxide gas in their exhaust. 

3 (2) In the last several years, hundreds of people 

4 nationwide have been seriously injured or killed due 

5 to exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning from port6 able generators. From 1990 through 2003, 228 car7 bon monoxide poisoning deaths were reported to the 

8 Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

9 (3) Virtually all of the serious injuries and 

10 deaths due to carbon monoxide from portable gen11 erators were preventable. In many instances, con12 sumers simply were unaware of the hazards posed by 

13 carbon monoxide. 

14 (4) Since at least 1997, a priority of the Con15 sumer Product Safety Commission has been to re16 duce injuries and deaths resulting from carbon mon17 oxide poisoning. Although the Commission has at18 tempted to work with industry to devise voluntary 

19 standards for portable generators, and despite Com20 mission staff statements that voluntary standards 

21 were ineffective, the Commission has not promul22 gated mandatory rules governing safety standards 

23 and labeling requirements. 

24 (5) The issuance of mandatory safety standards 

25 and labeling requirements to warn consumers of the 
3 

•S 2084 IS 

1 dangers associated with portable generator carbon 

2 monoxide would reduce the risk of injury or death. 

3 SEC. 3. SAFETY STANDARD. 

4 Not later than 180 days after the enactment of this 

5 Act, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall pro6 mulgate regulations, pursuant to section 7 of the Con7 sumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2056), requiring, 

8 at a minimum, that every portable generator sold to the 

9 public for purposes other than resale shall be equipped 

10 with an interlock safety device that detects the level of 

11 carbon monoxide in the areas surrounding such portable 

12 generator and automatically turns off power to the port13 able generator before the level of carbon monoxide is capa14 ble of causing serious bodily injury or death to people. 

15 SEC. 4. LABELING AND INSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS. 

16 Not later than 180 days after the enactment of this 

17 Act, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall pro18 mulgate regulations, pursuant to section 7 of the Con19 sumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2056), requiring, 

20 at a minimum, the following: 

21 (1) WARNING LABELS.—Each portable gener22 ator sold to the public for purposes other than resale 

23 shall have a large, prominently displayed warning 

24 label on the exterior packaging, if any, of the port25 able generator and permanently affixed on the port-
4 

•S 2084 IS 

1 able generator regarding the carbon monoxide haz2 ard posed by incorrect use of the portable generator. 

3 The warning label shall include the word ‘‘DAN4 GER’’ printed in a large font, and shall include the 

5 following information, at a minimum, presented in a 

6 clear manner: 

7 (A) Indoor use of a portable generator can 

8 kill quickly. 

9 (B) Portable generators should be used 

10 outdoors only and away from garages and open 

11 windows. 

12 (C) Portable generators produce carbon 

13 monoxide, a poisonous gas that people cannot 

14 see or smell. 

15 (2) PICTOGRAM.—Each portable generator sold 

16 to the public for purposes other than resale shall 

17 have a large pictogram, affixed to the portable gen18 erator, which clearly states ‘‘POISONOUS GAS’’ 

19 and visually depicts the harmful effects of breathing 

20 carbon monoxide. 

21 (3) INSTRUCTION MANUAL.—The instruction 

22 manual, if any, that accompanies any portable gen23 erator sold to the public for purposes other than re24 sale shall include detailed, clear, and conspicuous 

25 statements that include the following elements: 
5 

•S 2084 IS 

1 (A) A warning that portable generators 

2 emit carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas that can 

3 kill people. 

4 (B) A warning that people cannot smell, 

5 see, or taste carbon monoxide. 

6 (C) An instruction to operate portable gen7 erators only outdoors and away from windows, 

8 garages, and air intakes. 

9 (D) An instruction to never operate port10 able generators inside homes, garages, sheds, or 

11 other semi-enclosed spaces, even if a person 

12 runs a fan or opens doors and windows. 

13 (E) A warning that if a person begins to 

14 feel sick, dizzy, or weak while using a portable 

15 generator, that person should shut off the port16 able generator, get to fresh air immediately, 

17 and consult a doctor. 

Æ