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2012/SCSC/WKSP/006

Consumer Product Safety –Balancing Regulation and the Enterprise

Submitted by: Singapore

Workshop on Developing a Harmonised Electrical Equipment Regulatory Risk

Assessment ToolSingapore

15-16 May 2012

Consumer Product Safety – Balancing Regulation & the Enterprise

Steven TanSPRING Singapore

OVERVIEW / SPRING Singapore – an MTI Agency

Promote industry development and foreign investment attraction

Promote international trade and internationalisation of Singapore-based enterprises

Ensure supply of industrial facilities and industrial space

Develop Singapore’s research capabilities.

Promote and develop tourism industry

Promote a competitive and reliable energy industry

Develop and promote Sentosa Island

Regulate anti-competitive activities

Promote enterprise development and standards & conformance

SPRING VisionGlobal Singapore EnterprisesSPRING Mission

To help Singapore enterprises grow and To build trust in Singapore products and services

Enterprise Development

Quality & Standards

SPRING Mission

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4

STANDARDS REGULATIONS• Singapore

Standards

SPRING : National Standards Body, National Accreditation Body, National Business Excellence Body, Safety Authority for Controlled Goods, Weights and Measures Authority & GLP Compliance Monitoring Authority

MEASUREMENT

• PrimaryStandards @ A*STAR

• Calibration*

Enhance Quality & Standards Infrastructure

CONFORMANCE• Consumer

Protection • Consumer Goods

Safety Requirements

• Weights and Measures

* Private Sector

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1) Enhance & Assure Quality of Products and Services2) Ensure Safety, Health and Environment

3) Facilitate Trade and Market Access

NATIONAL QUALITY AND STANDARDS INFRASTRUCTURE

• Accreditation• Good Laboratory

Practice • Business Excellence

Certification• Quality Assurance*• Certification*• Testing & Inspection*

SMEs in Singapore Economy

99% of all enterprises in Singapore are SMEs

… and contribute about half of total VA

160,000

Large Enterprises(0.8%)SMEs

(99.2%)

No. of Enterprises

Large Enterprises(42.3%)SMEs

(57.7%)

No. of Workers

Large Enterprises(51%)

SMEs(49%)

Value-Add*

* Refers to value added at 2000 market prices

Source : DOS 2007 estimates

1.47 million$110 billion

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Singapore Overview

� Physical:• Land area: 699 sq km• Limited natural resources • Geographical position • Natural harbour

� Population:• 1960: 1.60 million• 2009: 4.99 million

(including 1.25mil expatriates & migrant workers)

� Economy (GDP):• 1960: S$2.1 billion• 2009: S$257.6 billion

49.0

13.6

3.5

44.5

22.25.4

9.8

30.6

35.4

25.7

Electronics 29.7%

Chemicals 6.6%

BMS 19.3%Precision Eng

14.2%

Tpt Eng18.6%Gen Mfg

11.6%

Manufacturing

Construction

Utilities

Wholesale & Retail Trade

Transport & Storage

Hotels & Restaurants

ICT

Financial Services

Business Services

Govt, Health & Other Services Industries

2009 GDP Figures in S$ bil

The Singapore Economy

� Affect only selected electrical, electronic and gas household appliances

� Require testing / certification / registration

� Effective since June 1992

Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Registration

Scheme (CPS Scheme)

Consumer Goods Safety Requirements Regulation (CGSR)

� Impact tens of thousands of consumer goods (include toys & children’s products)

� Educate consumers and suppliers on CGSR and safety tips on consumer goods.

� Effective in April 2011e in April 2011

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Consumer Product Safety

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Fire due to faulty electrical household appliance in the 1980s

Consumer Product Safety (CPS) Scheme launched in 1991

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Consumer Product Safety (CPS) Scheme

Pre-Market Registration for 45 Categories of Controlled Goods

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SAFETY Mark on rating label

Registered Products to have the SAFETY Mark –affixed by manufacturer / supplier before sale in the market

Display of the Safety Mark

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CPS Scheme

� 1991 Launch of CPS� Risk based regulation� Approved by regulatory body� Minimum compliance cost

- Use of International Standards to reduce cost of testing- System 1 Conformity Assessment (Type Testing)

� 1993 Introduction of SAFETY Mark

� 2002 Balancing Consumers safety and the Enterprise� Certification by 3rd party certification bodies

� 2005 Harmonizing with other ASEAN Regulatory Regime and other MRAs

� Stakeholder participation in regulations� Supplier declaration of conformity

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Global Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Accreditation

Singapore Accreditation Council(secretariat provided by SPRING)

CertificationBodies

Calibration & Testing

laboratories

InspectionBodies

Industry (Products & Services)

Leveraging on Accreditation for faster processing

Regulator using accredited

certification bodies & testing

labs to ensure safe

products Assurance in Products & Services rendered

Confidence in the technical competency & integrity of the service providers

National System to ensure compliance to international standards and practices

Platform for international acceptance of national accreditation systems

Accreditation Framework

NOTE : There are about 30 accredited certification bodies and 300 calibration & testing labs 14

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Designation of accredited bodies/labs

No of testing laboratories designated: 3• TUV SUD PSB Pte Ltd• Singapore Electrical Testing

Services (SETS)• Intertek Testing Services (S) Pte Ltd

No of Certification Body designated: 5• TUV SUD PSB Pte Ltd• Intertek Testing Services (S) Pte Ltd• UL Singapore Pte Ltd• TUV Rheinland (S) Pte Ltd• CTI Singapore Pte Ltd

Testing labs outside Singapore accepted as Recognised Testing Labs or RTLs (9) :-• UL New Zealand, Auckland• TUV Rheinland Taiwan• CMA Hong Kong• Intertek Hong Kong• SGS Hong Kong

• DEKRA Shanghai• Intertek Shanghai• Intertek Guangzhou• CTI Shenzhen

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TODAY

15 MAY 2001THE STRAITS TIMES

3 SEPTEMBER 2002

Conducting Enforcement & Publicising Infringements

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THE STRAITS TIMES

21 JUL 2005

LianHe Zaobao

08 DEC 2007

Raising Awareness and Public Education

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Effectiveness of CPS Scheme

1110

3 3

5

12

0 0 0

1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

2

4

6

8

10

12

'93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11

Note: Zero accidents since 2004 . Accident is defined as injury or death to human or damage to private property due to defective controlled goods

No. of accidents for controlled goods per 1m population

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Need to widen scope of regulation on consumer product safety in Singapore

Estimated 15,000 consumer product categories not covered by regulations before Apr 2011 19

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Different Approach for the new regulations

• Light touch (‘minimise bottlenecks’) - no pre-market testing/certification /approval is needed

• Minimum additional cost to suppliers - most products would have been tested to some international standards

• SPRING will have the authority to stop the sale of unsafe products and also inform the public of their existence

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Consumer Goods Safety Requirements (CGSR) launched in Apr 2011

The regulations apply to: • New consumer goods supplied for

private use or consumption

Exclude :• Used or Second-hand goods

• Any goods which are subject to and regulated by the provisions of other written laws

• Goods produced solely for export to any place outside Singapore

• Goods imported solely for re-export to any place outside Singapore.

Major Categories of goods under CGSR

• Children’s products such as walkers & cribs

• Toys such as balloons, balls and rattles

• Electrical, electronic and gas products (non- Controlled Goods)

• Furniture, mattresses and bedding

• DIY products

• Apparel

• Sports & recreation products

• Stationery products

• Accessories such as costume jewellery, watches, bags, etc.

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Use of Standards in CGSRAny consumer goods for which safety standards have been published by either:

• International Organization for Standardisation (ISO Standards)

• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC Standards)

• European Committee for Standardisation (EN Standards)

• ASTM International (ASTM Standards)

and includes :• Safety standards and requirements specified by

SPRING Singapore and published in its (CGSR Information Booklet

In case of non-compliance with safety standards

If any consumer goods do not conform to the above standards, SPRING may do any or all of the following:

1. Issue a public notice declaring such goods to be unsafe

2.Direct supplier to take such steps as may be necessary to:i. Control or cease the supply of such goods andii. Inform users of the potential danger of the goods

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Penalty

1. Fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both; and

2. In the case of a second or subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 24 months or both

The New Regulations in the New

Publication : The Straits Times, Home (page B8)Date : 5 March 2011 (Saturday)

Publication : The New Paper (page 13)Date : 5 March 2011 (Saturday)

Publication : Today (page 2)Date : 5-6 March 2011

Publication : The Business Times (page 16)Date : 5-6 March 2011 (Weekend)

The New Regulations in the New

• Engaging in education and promotion to let consumers make an informed choice

• SPRING, with the support of industries and associations, organizes Seminars to educate consumers and remind traders

• Working with suppliers to remove unsafe products from the market.

Working with the Market to ensure Safety

SPRING

Associations

Manufacturer

Importers

Distributors

Wholesalers

Retailers

Outlets

Ensuring Safer Consumer Products

Consumers

Efforts to Keep Products Safe

EnforcementSurveillance & Testing

Education of key

stakeholders

Monitoring int’l alerts on unsafe toys

• Suppliers have obligations to supply only safe products in Singapore. Supplying unsafe products come with great costs such as:• A loss in company reputation and consumer

confidence• Costs associated with remedial actions such as recalls• Penalties and fines imposed by the authorities

• All suppliers should therefore conduct voluntary recalls on unsafe products already in the hands of retailers and consumers

Role of Suppliers

Consumers can help by:

• Reading instructions and warnings in user manuals or on products before operating the products

• Using products only for their intended use

• Performing regular checks and maintenance on products

• Supervising young children or the elderly to ensure their proper use of products

• Having the product serviced or repairedby authorised serviceman

Role of Consumers

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Participation in International and Regional Fora on Electrical & Electronic Equipment Safety

ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality

(ACCSQ)

APEC Sub-committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC)

� Member of IECEE CB Scheme since 1992

� Participate in APEC EE MRA since 1996

� APEC EE MRA endorsed in 1999 in Rotorua, NZ

� Chair of APEC JAC from 2007 to 2009

� APEC EE MRA implemented in 2008

� ASEAN EE MRA signed in April 2002

� Harmonising Electrical & Electronic Equipment Regulatory Requirements within ASEAN (agreed in 2005)

� SPRING has signed a number of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Mutual Recognition Agreement / Arrangement (EE MRA) with Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan and ASEAN

� These EE MRAs enable MRA partner to recognise each other’s test reports and/or certification. No duplicative testing and/or certification.

Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)

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Consumer Goods Safety Requirements (CGSR) – One Year On

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Education and Raising Awareness

� Newspaper Ads to create consumer awareness of the need for product safety

� Advertorials in magazines like Lifestyle and Motherhood

� Seminars - for both consumers and suppliers

� Dedicated hotline where public can make enquiries to learn more or report unsafe products

� Brochures – provide tips and information

� Website – important tool- Product Safety Alerts : to inform consumer of internationally recalled

products that are available in our market- Consumer Safety Tips and advisories- Information on products not meeting requirements - Links to international databases – for public to do searches

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Consumer Feedback – important channel

• Product safety is 2-way effort- 1,102 enquiries received through various feedback channels

• Pick up issues of concern

- nearly 20 cases followed-up on/investigated over the one year period.Some examples:

� General Purpose Cleaner packaged like soft drink – STOMP and email from concerned consumer. SPRING worked with supplier to include proper labelling

� Cabinet tipping over – work with supplier to change some requirements/specifications

� Children’s Mats : random tested and found to be within guidelines

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Scanning : local and global

� Important to keep track of issues of concern worldwide and emerging trends and hazards and detect unsafe goods. Scanning includes -� injury and death information/reports � overseas trends � reports of problems with products

� 15,000 categories – growing & new products and innovations occurring all the time. Information sharing and co-operation/establishing links with other international Regulators helps the efforts.

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Market Surveillance

� A key activity to detect and take off the market unsafe products and to send signal to suppliers.

� Purpose of testing is 3-fold:� to take products not meeting requirements off the

market � educate suppliers on selling safer products � create awareness: make consumers more aware of

pitfalls/what they need to lookout for/make safer choices

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Post-Surveillance Action

� Issue Stop Sales to take the products off the market

� Work with suppliers to educate them on the requirements of the relevant standards and what they need to ensure

� Put information on our website (advisories for consumers, listing of the products not meeting requirements)

� Public seminars to educate consumers/suppliers e.g. Toy Safety Seminars in April and Sep 2011

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Test Surveys conducted

• Children’s Toys (Jul & Dec 2011)� 2 representative surveys of 200 toys each done� Results show that number/percentage of toys not meeting

requirements are falling.

� Suppliers becoming more knowledgeable about sourcing for safer toys.

• Children’s Jewellery and Accessories (Apr 2012)� International scanning shows that metal children’s jewellery often

contains high levels of heavy metals like Lead, Nickel and Cadmium. � 111 items surveyed to get a pulse of our local market. Results

favourable for now. 3 failures, all Toy jewellery passed. Info on website.

� Not resting on laurels – monitoring international developments on unsafe consumer products and new safety standards.

•

Toys sold in Singapore must comply with the following * :

i. Any one of the following international standards:Toys : EN 71, ASTM F963 or ISO 8124

Electric Toys : EN 71 & EN 62115, ASTM F963 orISO 8124 & IEC 62115

ii. SPRING’s Additional Safety Requirements for toys

* See Appendices E&F of the Information Booklet availableat www.spring.gov.sg/productsafety for the latest information

Regulations for Toys

Decline in Number of Unsafe Toys

Jul 2010 Feb/Mar2011

1 Apr Jun/Jul2011

Toys that failed tests

%

50

40

30

20

10

Launch of

CGSR

48% 46%

20%

50 toystested by

CASE

50 toystested by

CASE

200 toystested by SPRING

Dec2011

16%

200 toystested by SPRING

Formation of Joint Working Group

• Formation of a Joint Working Group to implement multi-pronged approach to improve toy safety and other products. The Joint Working Group will focus on :

– Raising Awareness and Education

– Developing Procurement and Response Plans

Future Directions

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International Sharing Cooperation

Information sharing on consumer products which pose risks to consumer’s health and safety

APEC- PSIISS

OECD-CCP

ISO-COPOLCO

PROSAFE

ICPSC

ICPHSO

Information Sharing

Platforms

Information exchange

Information exchange

Enforcement

Consumer Policy

Standards

Information exchange

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Contact Consumer Product Safety DepartmentSPRING Singapore

5th Storey Podium Block2 Bukit Merah Central

Singapore 159835

Hotline : (65) 1800 773 3163 Fax : (65) 6278 9885

Email : safety@spring.gov.sg