The following list shows CPSC-accepted firewalled laboratories. These laboratories are included in the list of all CPSC-accepted third party laboratories displayed at Lab Search.
Section 14 of the CPSA, as amended by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (“CPSIA”), requires manufacturers and importers of children’s products subject to applicable children’s product safety rules, to use third party conformity assessment bodies (third party testing laboratories) that have been accredited under CPSC requirements to test children’s products for compliance with those children’s product safety rules. The CPSA defines a “third party conformity assessment body” as one that is not owned, managed, or controlled by the manufacturer or private labeler of a product assessed by such testing laboratory, except that a laboratory that is owned, managed, or controlled by the manufacturer or private labeler, under certain specified conditions, may be recognized as accredited by the Commission as a third party testing laboratory. Testing laboratories that comply with these specified conditions are said to be “firewalled” against the possibility of undue influence.
The Commission may accredit a laboratory under the CPSA’s firewalled provision if the Commission finds, by order, that:
- Accreditation of the laboratory would provide equal or greater consumer safety protection than the manufacturer or private labeler’s use of an independent third party conformity assessment body; and
- The laboratory has established procedures to ensure that –
- its test results are protected from undue influence by the manufacturer, private labeler, or other interested party;
- the Commission is notified immediately of any attempt by the manufacturer, private labeler, or other interested party to hide or exert undue influence over test results; and
- allegations of undue influence may be reported confidentially to the Commission.
The CPSC Requirements Pertaining to Third party Conformity Assessment Bodies (Laboratories) is codified in the rule at 16 CFR part 1112.
For a list of CPSC-accepted firewalled laboratories, email labaccred@cpsc.gov. All CPSC-accepted firewalled laboratories are included in the list of all CPSC-accepted third party laboratories displayed at Lab Search