REFRIGERATOR SAFETY ACT


(Codified at 15 U.S.C. 1211-1214)

(Public Law 84-930, 70 Stat. 953, August 2, 1956)

NOTE—See section 30 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (p.
58) which transferred the functions of the Secretary of
Commer ce and the Federal Trade Commission under the
Refrigerator Safety Act to the Consumer Product Safety
Commission. 

REFRIGERATOR SAFETY ACT

(Refer ences in brackets[ ]ar e to the United States Code and
the Code of Federal Regulations)
(Refer ences in braces{ }ar e editorial insertions)
{SEC. 1.} [15 U.S.C. 1211]
It shall be unlawful for any person to introduce or deliver
for introduction into interstate commerce any household
refrigerator manufactured on or after the date this section takes
ef fect unless it is equipped with a device, enabling the door
ther eof to be opened from the inside, which conforms with
standar ds pr escribed pursuant to section 3.
SEC. 2. [15 U.S.C. 1212]
Any person who violates the first section of this Act shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be
subject to imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of
not more than $1,000, or both.
{Modifed by 18 U.S.C. 3571 as follows—
Organizations:
Not more than $200,000 if the offense does not result in death.
Not more than $500,000 if the offense results in death.
Individuals:
Not more than $100,000 if the offense does not result in death.
Not more than $250,000 if the offense results in death.}
SEC. 3. [15 U.S.C. 1213]
The Secretary of Commerce shall prescribe and publish in
the Federal Register commercial standards for devices which,
when used in or on household refrigerators, will enable the
doors thereof to be opened easily from the inside; and the
standar ds first established under this section shall be so
pr escribed and published not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act. {16 C.F.R. Part 1750}
SEC. 4. [15 U.S.C. 1214]
As used in this Act, the term ‘‘interstate commerce’’
includes commerce between one State, Territory, possession,
the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
and another State, Territory, possession, the District of
Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
SEC. 5. [15 U.S.C. 1211n]
This Act shall take effect on the date of its enactment,
except that the first section of this Act shall take effect one year
and 90 days after the date of publication of commercial
standar ds first established under section 3 of this Act. In the
event of a change in said commercial standards first
established, a like period shall be allowed for compliance with
said change in commercial standards.