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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 73 (Wednesday, April 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21442-21446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08607]

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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

[CPSC Docket No. CPSC-2014-0009]

Carbon Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum and Request for 
Information

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Announcement of meeting and request for information.

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SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC, Commission, or 
we) is announcing that the CPSC intends to hold a forum on carbon 
monoxide/combustion sensors. Through this announcement, we are also 
issuing a Request for Information (RFI) seeking information on the 
availability of sensors that are capable of: (1) Operating within the 
flue passageways of a gas appliance or similar environment; (2) 
directly or indirectly monitoring carbon monoxide levels or other gases 
or environmental conditions associated with the production of dangerous 
levels of carbon monoxide; and (3) providing a shutdown or other 
preemptive signal in response to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. 
We invite interested parties to provide information responsive to the 
RFI and to attend and participate in the forum and to submit comments 
responsive to the forum agenda.

DATES: The forum will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 3, 
2014. Individuals interested in serving on panels at the forum should 
register by May 9, 2014; all other individuals who wish to attend the 
forum should register by May 23, 2014. Written comments will be 
received until July 7, 2014.

ADDRESSES: The forum will be held at the CPSC's National Product 
Testing and Evaluation Center, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 20850. 
There is no charge to attend the forum. Persons interested in serving 
on a panel or attending the forum should register online at: http://www.cpsc.gov/meetingsignup.html, and click on the link titled, ``Carbon 
Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum.'' For those who are unable to attend, 
the forum will also be webcast.
    You may submit written comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-
2014-0009, by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. The Commission does not accept

[[Page 21443]]

comments submitted by electronic mail (email), except through 
www.regulations.gov. The Commission encourages you to submit electronic 
comments by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, as described above.

Written Submissions

    Submit written comments in the following way:
    Mail/Hand delivery/Courier, preferably in five copies, to: Office 
of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 820, 4330 
East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504-7923.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number for this notice. All comments received may be posted 
without change, including any personal identifiers, contact 
information, or other personal information provided, to http://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit confidential business information, 
trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information 
electronically. Such information should be submitted in writing.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to: http://www.regulations.gov and insert the 
docket number CPSC-2014-0009 into the ``Search'' box, and follow the 
prompts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Jordan, Division of Combustion 
and Fire Sciences, Directorate for Engineering Sciences, 5 Research 
Place, Rockville, MD 20850, telephone 301-987-2219, email: 
rjordan@cpsc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

a. Hazards Associated with Vented Gas Heating Appliances

    Vented gas heating appliances provide comfort heat to consumers in 
single- and multifamily dwellings, as well as in schools, motels/
hotels, and nursing homes; burn natural gas or propane as a fuel; and 
exhaust the by-products of combustion from the appliance to the 
outdoors through a vent system or chimney. Vented gas heating 
appliances include gas furnaces, boilers, wall furnaces, and floor 
furnaces. When these appliances experience certain failure modes or 
conditions, dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (CO) can be produced.
    CO is a by-product of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon 
fuels, such as natural gas, propane and oil. Incomplete combustion in a 
vented gas heating appliance can occur when too much fuel or inadequate 
air for combustion are supplied to the burner, or when the burner flame 
temperature is reduced below the ignition temperature of the fuel. When 
the flue passageways and venting systems of appliances are intact and 
properly installed and maintained, CO that results from incomplete 
combustion is safely vented to the outdoors. However, when a 
compromised flue passageway or venting system (e.g., a separated flue, 
a disconnected vent, or a hole in a vent) creates a leakage path, CO 
can enter the living space and present a hazard to consumers.

b. Incident Data

    We analyzed death certificate data compiled by the National Center 
for Health Statistics (NCHS) and death certificates purchased by the 
CPSC from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City to 
estimate the number of CO poisoning deaths associated with vented gas 
heating appliances. According to this analysis, for the 12-year period 
from 1999 to 2010, there were a total estimated 369 non-fire CO 
poisoning deaths associated with central gas furnaces/boilers, wall 
furnaces, and floor furnaces. This analysis also revealed that for the 
years 2008 through 2010, an annual estimated 25 non-fire CO poisoning 
deaths were associated with these types of appliances.
    CPSC staff conducted a review of In-Depth Investigations (IDIs) of 
non-fire-related CO incidents associated with gas furnaces and boilers: 
http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/130036/Updated_IDI_review_CO_and_modern_furnaces_and_boilers.pdf. The IDI review covered the years 
2002 through 2009, and revealed 83 incidents associated with carbon 
monoxide poisoning and gas furnaces and boilers that were determined to 
have been manufactured after 1987. In 73 of the 83 incidents, the 
investigating authorities were able to identify the failure mode of the 
furnace or boiler. Thirty-one of the incidents involved the breach, 
disconnection, or blockage of the vent, chimney, or heat exchanger. In 
three of the incidents, reports identified the failure mode as improper 
venting; and in an additional three incidents, the failure mode was 
depressurization or back drafting. An additional 36 incidents were 
associated with miscellaneous or multiple failure modes. There were 44 
fatalities associated with these 83 CO poisoning incidents.

c. CPSC Staff's Activities Regarding Sensor Testing

    Despite safety improvements made to the gas appliance voluntary 
standards in the 1980s, the governing standards for gas-fired central 
furnaces (ANSI Z21.47), gas-fired boilers (ANSI Z21.13), and gas-fired 
wall and floor furnaces (ANSI Z21.86) do not protect against many of 
the failure modes or conditions observed to cause or contribute to CO 
exposure incidents.
1. CPSC's Activities with Voluntary Standards Organizations
    For more than a decade, CPSC staff has worked with voluntary 
standard organizations to encourage including CO shutoff requirements 
in voluntary standards. In 2000, to address CO poisoning risks, CPSC 
staff recommended that the governing voluntary standard group, the ANSI 
Z21.47 Central Furnace Subcommittee, add a provision to the ANSI 
furnace standard that would require a means to prevent furnaces from 
producing concentrations of CO in excess of 400 parts per million (ppm) 
(the carbon monoxide emission limit set forth in the voluntary standard 
for gas furnaces, ANSI Z21.47) or cause the shutdown of furnaces in 
response to those CO levels. http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/106498/Letter_ANSI_Z21.47_COemissions_furnace2_to_5_CO_shutoff_proposal.pdf.
    In 2001, CPSC staff began investigating combustion gas sensing 
technologies that might be used to detect CO in appliance flue 
passageways and provide a shutoff or some other preemptive response to 
dangerous levels of CO. CPSC staff tested sensor technologies to 
demonstrate the ability of CO/combustion sensors to provide detection 
and shutdown response to CO concentrations in excess of 400 ppm. At the 
conclusion of this testing, CPSC staff determined that existing CO 
sensor technology could be used to detect CO concentrations in excess 
of 400 ppm in vented gas heating appliances and shut down the 
appliance. http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/98232/Furnace_combustion_sensor_test_results.pdf. CPSC staff provided these test results to 
the Z21.47 furnace subcommittee to support CPSC staff's earlier 
proposal that the furnace standard be revised to require that vented 
gas heating appliances be required to detect dangerous levels of CO and 
shut down if high levels of CO are detected.
    The Z21.47 subcommittee referred CPSC's CO shutoff proposal to the 
ANSI Z21/83 Technical Committee (Technical Committee), which in 2002, 
established the ANSI Z21/83 Ad Hoc Working Group for CO Combustion 
Sensors (AHWG). AHWG was tasked with developing test and work plans to 
evaluate the feasibility of using gas and

[[Page 21444]]

combustion sensing technologies for CO shutoff of furnaces and other 
vented gas heating appliances and, if warranted, begin development of 
an appropriate standard.
    CPSC staff worked with the AHWG from 2002 through 2004 to complete 
the test criterion. The Technical Committee met in September 2005, and 
decided not to pursue CO/combustion sensor testing, citing concerns 
that there were no commercially available sensors that were:
    (1) Durable enough to withstand the furnace operating environment, 
or
    (2) had the expected life span (e.g., 15 years) of a furnace.
    In response to the Technical Committee's decision not to pursue CO 
sensor testing, CPSC staff conducted a test program from 2007 through 
2008 to evaluate the durability and longevity of sensors operating in a 
gas furnace environment. http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/129834/CO_sensor_durability_and_longevity_testing.pdf. The purpose of the 
test program was to address the concerns about sensor durability and 
longevity raised by the Technical Committee at their 2005 meeting. 
Therefore, the testing only included those portions of the test 
criteria developed by the AHWG relevant to durability and longevity. 
The test results demonstrated the availability of chemical sensors 
capable of withstanding the harsh operating environment of a furnace 
and potentially surviving throughout the life span of the furnace. 
Based on the results of this testing, CPSC staff concluded that the 
inclusion of a CO shutoff requirement in the voluntary standard was 
technologically feasible. CPSC staff shared the report on the test 
results with the Technical Committee, as well as the Technical Advisory 
Groups (TAG) for gas furnaces (ANSI Z21.47 TAG) and gas boilers (ANSI 
Z21.13 TAG).
2. Gas Technology Institute Report
    In 2011, the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) (a research, 
development and training organization that develops technology-based 
solutions in the natural gas and energy fields for industry, government 
and consumers) prepared a report titled, ``Technical Feasibility Study 
Carbon Monoxide Sensing Safety Systems for Appliances'' (GTI Report). 
http://www.ari.org/App_Content/ahri/files/RESEARCH/Technical%20Results/AHRI-8001%20Final%20Report.pdf.
    The purpose of the GTI Report was to ``establish a technical 
baseline for considering the practical feasibility of integrating CO 
sensors into gas appliances, and to identify critical areas needing 
further development or research.'' According to the GTI Report, there 
are several factors that prevent CO sensors from functioning properly 
when used in a gas-fired appliance:
     The temperature and humidity conditions in the flue or 
combustion chamber;
     the presence of contaminants in the flue or combustion 
chamber; and
     the short life span of CO sensors (6 years) when compared 
to the life span of gas-fired appliances (20 years).
The GTI Report concluded that ``extensive research is required before 
current designs of CO sensors would be able to operate in the 
combustion chamber or the flue of a gas-fired appliance for a length of 
time for use as a safety or combustion control device.'' This 
conclusion is inconsistent with the results of CPSC staff's sensor 
testing that in CPSC staff's view demonstrated the availability of 
chemical sensors capable of withstanding the harsh operating 
environment of a furnace and potentially surviving throughout the life 
span of the furnace.

II. Request for Information

a. Purpose

    We request information to help CPSC staff gain a broader 
understanding of the availability and the state of the art of all 
sensor technologies that are capable of being used within the heat 
exchangers, flue passageways, and/or vent systems of vented gas heating 
appliances to shut down the appliance in response to dangerous levels 
of CO in these areas of the appliance or upon detection of incomplete 
combustion conditions that can lead to the production of dangerous 
levels of CO.
    CPSC is interested in information regarding sensor technologies 
that:
     Determine CO concentration by directly measuring CO 
levels;
     determine CO concentration indirectly by measuring other 
combustion gases, such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, or unburned natural 
gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas), or environmental conditions, 
such as temperature, humidity, or displacement; and
     detect incomplete combustion conditions that could result 
in the production of dangerous levels of CO.
    We are also interested in sensor technologies at various stages of 
product life-cycle development, including:
     full-scale production models
     prototypes that are less than 2 years from full-scale 
production; and
     prototypes between two and 5 years from full-scale 
production.
    CPSC staff is aware that CO/combustion sensing technology is 
already in use with vented gas heating appliances in Japan and believes 
that actions such as including this technology in vented gas heating 
appliances in the United States could help reduce the risks of death 
and injury associated with CO exposure from these products. CPSC staff 
would like to learn more about Japan's experience with this technology, 
and we expect that responses to the request for information will 
provide helpful information in this regard. CPSC will use information 
gained from responses to the RFI and from the forum to determine future 
work to reduce the risks of death and injury associated with CO 
exposure.

b. Information Requested

    In preparing information or comments for the RFI and for 
consideration at the forum, commenters should be aware of the typical 
operating environment of a vented gas appliance and some basic 
operating requirements of a CO/combustion sensor cited in the table 
below. Response range and maximum exposure limits for sensors that 
detect other target gases or environmental conditions will vary.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Criteria                               Range
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temperature...............................  -40 to 500 degrees F
Humidity..................................  0 to 100%
CO Sensor Response Range..................  0 to 400 ppm
Maximum CO Sensor Exposure................  3000 ppm
Lifespan..................................  5, 10,15, & 20 years
Accuracy..................................  5%
Supply voltage to sensor..................  0 to 10 VDC; 0 to 24 VAC
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CPSC staff is particularly interested in receiving the following 
information:
     Detailed descriptions of gas or environmental condition 
sensors that the commenter currently manufactures or has developed or 
worked with, and that are used or capable of being used for an in-flue 
application, or similar environment, to shut off vented gas heating 
appliances reliably when dangerous levels of CO or incomplete 
combustion are detected.
    [cir] Data from completed testing that demonstrates the capability 
of the sensors to operate within the flue passageways of vented gas 
heating appliances, or similar environments, and the expected life of 
sensors installed in these appliances or similar environments.
    [cir] Quantitative Accelerated Life Testing (QALT) data that 
demonstrate the sensors' ability to perform reliably when installed in 
gas heating appliances; and/or

[[Page 21445]]

    [cir] Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) data and other sensor life 
data at normal and overstress use conditions.
     Detailed descriptions of prototype gas or environmental 
condition sensors that the commenter has developed, worked with, or 
expects to be ready for full-scale production within 1 to 2 years and 
that are capable of being used for an in-flue application, or similar 
environment, to shut off vented gas heating appliances reliably when 
dangerous levels of CO or incomplete combustion are detected.
    [cir] Preliminary or intermediate data of completed testing or 
testing the commenter expects to complete within the next 1 to 2 years 
that demonstrates the capability of the sensors to operate within the 
flue passageways of vented gas heating appliances, or similar 
environments, and the expected life of sensors installed in these 
appliances or similar environments should be provided.
    [cir] QALT data that demonstrate the sensors' ability to perform 
reliably when installed in vented gas heating appliances; and/or
    [cir] MTBF data and other sensor life data at normal and overstress 
use conditions.
     Plans for testing or development that the commenter 
intends to pursue during the next 1 to 2 years that may demonstrate 
that a gas or environmental condition sensor is capable of being used 
for an in-flue application, or similar environment, to shut off gas 
heating appliances reliably when dangerous levels of CO or incomplete 
combustion are detected.
    [cir] Plans to conduct QALT to substantiate the sensor's ability to 
perform properly when installed in a vented gas heating appliance, or 
similar environment, and to measure MTBF and other sensor life data at 
normal and overstress conditions.
     Past, present, or future (i.e., within the next 1 to 2 
years) efforts to market the above-described gas or environmental 
condition sensors to the gas appliance industry or other industries 
with similar operating environments (e.g., automotive industry).
     The current or estimated wholesale cost of gas or 
environmental condition sensors supplied to an appliance manufacturer 
or an end user with a similar operating environment for full-scale 
production (if available).

III. Carbon Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum

    The forum will take place on June 3, 2014. The forum will be 
comprised of a plenary session and technological solutions sessions 
(detailed in section III. b.) The first session will discuss hazard 
patterns that lead to CO exposure, available mechanisms that exist to 
address the hazards, and efforts over the years to address the hazards. 
This session will serve as background and provide the context for the 
afternoon sessions.
    The subsequent sessions will focus on possible technological 
solutions to address the hazard, barriers to further development of 
technologies for an in-flue shutoff application (i.e., a sensor located 
within the heat exchanger or flue passageways of a gas heating 
appliance that will shut off the appliance when elevated levels of CO 
are detected), and cooperation among stakeholders. Each session will 
provide interested parties the opportunity to present their research, 
developments, or expert knowledge on the topic area. Each session will 
conclude with time for open discussion and questions and answers led by 
CPSC staff moderators.

a. What do we hope the forum will accomplish?

    Current voluntary standards do not address all failure mechanisms 
that are known to result in CO exposure from vented gas heating 
appliances. CPSC staff successfully demonstrated the concept of using 
CO shutoff sensors in a gas furnace in 2001and 2004 (http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/98232/Furnace_combustion_sensor_test_results.pdf; http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/103897/Combustion_sensor_test_results.pdf), and the durability of some sensors to operate in 
the harsh environment of a gas furnace, possibly for the life of the 
appliance in 2012 (http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/129834/CO_sensor_durability_and_longevity_testing.pdf).
    Based on the results of this testing, CPSC staff believes that CO 
and other gas/environmental condition sensors are technically feasible 
solutions that could address risks and related deaths and injuries 
associated with vented gas heating appliances. However, CPSC staff 
would like to obtain additional information to build a broader 
understanding of sensor technologies currently available and under 
development, as well as any barriers to using these technologies in a 
vented gas heating appliance. CPSC staff invites sensor manufacturers, 
appliance manufacturers, standards organization representatives, 
consumer groups, and other stakeholders to participate in the Carbon 
Monoxide/Combustion Sensor Forum.
    The goals of the forum are:
    1. To inform forum attendees of the hazards identified by CPSC 
staff and efforts made so far to address the hazards of CO poisoning 
from vented gas heating appliances;
    2. To gain a broader understanding of the scope, state of the art, 
and availability of sensor technologies being used in, or capable of 
being used in, an in-flue shut off application or similar harsh 
environments;
    3. To gain a better understanding of the scope, state of 
development, and availability of prototype gas or combustion sensors 
that may be commercially available within 1 to 5 years and that are 
capable of being used in an in-flue shut off application or similar 
harsh environments;
    4. To gain a better understanding of potential barriers to further 
development and commercialization of sensors used in, or capable of 
being used in, an in-flue shut off application or similar harsh 
environments;
    5. To gain a better understanding of potential failure modes likely 
to be encountered in using gas sensors in an in-flue shut off 
application or similar harsh environments and strategies to mitigate 
those failure modes;
    6. To gain a better understanding of the expected life of sensors 
used in an in-flue shut off application or similar harsh environments; 
and
    7. To encourage development of technological solutions to the 
stated problem among forum attendees and to foster cooperative 
relationships among forum attendees to achieve those solutions.

b. What topics will be addressed at the forum?

    The forum will focus on various technological means of reducing the 
risk of CO exposure from vented gas heating appliances under a variety 
of conditions. We recommend that all potential panelists consider this 
general theme when preparing for the forum. We list suggested topics 
below. CPSC staff reserves the right to include or decline topics based 
on whether staff believes the topics will aid the forum objectives or 
fit within the time constraints of a 1-day event.
Forum Topic Areas
    1. CPSC and stakeholder efforts to address CO hazards resulting 
from malfunctioning gas heating appliances.
     Suggested topics:
    [cir] Results of testing of CO sensing technology for 
functionality, longevity, and durability;
    [cir] exploration of CO sensor testing being performed by gas 
heating appliance manufacturers;

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    [cir] U.S. and international voluntary standard development 
organization activity addressing CO exposure hazards.
    2. Use of sensor technology for safe shutdown of a gas heating 
appliance when incomplete combustion or dangerous levels of CO are 
detected.
     Suggested topics:
    [cir] Operating environment of sensors, types of gases and 
environmental parameters to monitor;
    [cir] operating ranges and expected life of sensors;
    [cir] scope, state of the art, and availability of sensor 
technologies currently being used to shut off gas heating appliances 
when incomplete combustion or dangerous levels of CO are detected or 
that are used in similar, harsh environments;
    [cir] scope, state of the art, and availability of prototype gas 
sensors that may be commercially available for this purpose within 1 to 
5 years; barriers to development and commercialization of sensors 
capable of being used in the in-flue shut off application or similar 
harsh environments;
    [cir] potential cooperative relationships to bring existing 
technologies to market and further develop near term technologies.
    We may combine, expand, or eliminate panel sessions depending on 
the level of interest. We will announce the final agenda on the CPSC 
Web site by May 28, 2014.

c. Details Regarding the Forum

1. When and where will the forum be held?
    The forum will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 3, 2014, 
at the CPSC's National Product Testing and Evaluation Center, 5 
Research Place, Rockville, MD 20850. The forum will also be available 
through a webcast, but viewers will not be able to interact with the 
panelists.
2. How do you register for the forum?
    Panelists. If you would like to be considered as a panel member for 
a specific topic or topics at the forum, you should register on or 
before May 9, 2014. (See the ADDRESSES section of this document for the 
Web site link and instructions on where to register.) We ask that you 
indicate the panel or panels on which you would like to serve and each 
topic for which you wish to be considered. We ask that each potential 
panelist submit a brief (less than 200 word) abstract of the panelist's 
area of expertise and proposed topic, and a draft presentation or 
outline at the time of registration to Mr. Ronald Jordan, Division of 
Combustion and Fire Sciences, Directorate for Engineering Sciences, 
rjordan@cpsc.gov.
    Although we will make an effort to accommodate all persons who wish 
to be panelists, we expect to limit each panel session to no more than 
five panelists. We will select panelists based on considerations such 
as the individual's demonstrated familiarity or expertise with the 
topic to be discussed, the practical utility of the information to be 
presented, and the individual's viewpoint, expertise, or ability to 
represent certain interests (such as appliance manufacturers, sensor 
manufacturers, consumer organizations, and standards organizations). We 
recommend that individuals and organizations with common interests 
consolidate or coordinate their presentations.
    For the panel discussion focusing on technological solutions, CPSC 
staff is seeking sensor manufacturing representatives, appliance 
manufacturing representatives (with demonstrated experience working 
with sensors in this application), and regulatory or standards 
development organization representatives (who have worked on or 
developed standards for sensor or other similar technologies for this 
or similar applications).
    We will notify selected panelists on or before May 23, 2014. If you 
are selected as a panelist and want to make copies of your presentation 
or other handouts available, you should bring copies for dissemination 
to the forum. Please inform Mr. Ronald Jordan, rjordan@cpsc.gov, 301-
987-2219, if you need any special equipment to make a presentation.
    Other participants. If you wish to attend and participate in the 
forum but do not wish to be a panelist, you should register on or 
before May 23, 2014, and identify your affiliation. Every effort will 
be made to accommodate each person's request; however, we may need to 
limit registration to meet the occupant capacity of our meeting room.
    If you need special accommodations because of a disability, please 
contact Mr. Ronald Jordan, rjordan@cpsc.gov, 301-987-2219, at least 10 
business days before the forum.
    The forum will be available through a webcast, but you will not be 
able to interact with the panelists. You do not need to register for 
the webcast. The forum will also be taped and made available for 
viewing on the CPSC Web site.
    Written comments. If you wish to submit written comments, you may 
do so before or after the forum by any of the methods stated in the 
ADDRESSES portion of this notice. These comments will be accepted until 
July 7, 2014, and should be restricted to topics covered by the forum, 
as described in this Announcement.
3. What will be the format of the forum?
    The forum will open with a plenary session that includes a brief 
overview of the Commission's past activities addressing CO exposure 
resulting from malfunctioning or improperly installed/maintained gas 
heating appliances. Following that, a series of panels will address one 
or more of the topics listed above, depending on registrations. Panel 
sessions are expected to consist of stakeholders and members of the 
public and will be moderated by CPSC staff. We expect potential 
panelists to speak for no more than 10 minutes each about their topic 
area. At the conclusion of each of the panel's presentations, there 
will be a question, answer, and discussion session among the panelists 
and the audience, centering on the topics discussed by the panelists. 
Each panel session is expected to last approximately 1 hour and 45 
minutes.
    All attendees will be given the opportunity to ask questions and 
make comments during the question, answer and discussion session 
following each panel.
4. What happens if no one registers for the forum?
    If no one registers for the forum, we will cancel the forum. If we 
decide to cancel the forum for this or any other reason, we will post a 
cancellation notice on the registration Web page for the forum and send 
an email to all registered participants who provide their email address 
when they register. If the forum is cancelled, written comments that 
are submitted as set forth in this Announcement will be accepted.

    Dated: April 9, 2014.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretariat, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2014-08607 Filed 4-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P?>
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