___________________________________________________________________________
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 Tool
Singapore
15-16 May 2012
Consumer Product Safety – Balancing Regulation & the Enterprise
Steven Tan
SPRING Singapore
OVERVIEW
/ SPRING Singapore – an MTI Agency
Promote enterprise development and standards &
conformance
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
SPRING Mission
SPRING Vision
SPRING Mission
Global Singapore Enterprises
To help Singapore enterprises grow and
To build trust in Singapore products and services
Quality &
Standards
Enterprise
Development
3
Enhance Quality & Standards Infrastructure
1) Enhance & Assure Quality of Products and Services
2) Ensure Safety, Health and Environment
3) Facilitate Trade and Market Access
NATIONAL QUALITY AND STANDARDS INFRASTRUCTURE
STANDARDS
• Singapore
Standards
CONFORMANCE
• Accreditation
• Good Laboratory
Practice
• Business Excellence
Certification
• Quality Assurance*
• Certification*
• Testing & Inspection*
REGULATIONS
• Consumer
Protection
• Consumer Goods
Safety
Requirements
• Weights and
Measures
MEASUREMENT
• Primary
Standards
@ A*STAR
• Calibration*
* Private Sector
SPRING : National Standards Body, National Accreditation Body, National Business Excellence Body,
Safety Authority for Controlled Goods, Weights and Measures Authority & GLP Compliance
Monitoring Authority
4
4
SMEs in Singapore Economy
99% of all enterprises in Singapore are SMEs
SMEs
(99.2%)
Large Enterprises
(0.8%)
160,000
No. of Enterprises
… and contribute about half of total VA
Large Enterprises
(42.3%)
SMEs
(57.7%)
1.47 million
No. of Workers
Large Enterprises
(51%)
SMEs
(49%)
$110 billion
Value-Add*
* Refers to value added at 2000
market prices
Source : DOS 2007 estimates
5
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$257.6 billion
The Singapore Economy
Electronics
29.7%
Chemicals 6.6%
Govt, Health &
Other Services
Industries
Precision Eng
14.2%
25.7
49.0
Business
Services
Tpt Eng
18.6%
Gen Mfg
11.6%
35.4
13.6
2009 GDP Figures
in S$ bil
Financial
Services
Manufacturing
BMS 19.3%
3.5
Construction
Utilities
30.6
44.5
9.8
5.4
22.2
ICT
Hotels &
Restaurants Transport &
Storage
Wholesale &
Retail Trade
Consumer Product Safety
Consumer Protection (Safety
Requirements) Registration
Scheme (CPS Scheme)
ƒ Affect only selected electrical,
electronic and gas household
appliances
ƒ Require testing / certification /
registration
ƒ Effective since June 1992
Consumer Goods Safety
Requirements Regulation (CGSR)
ƒ Impact tens of thousands of
consumer goods (include toys &
children’s products)
ƒ Educate consumers and suppliers
on CGSR and safety tips on
consumer goods.
e in April 2011
ƒ Effective
8
Fire due to faulty electrical household appliance
in the 1980s
9
Consumer Product Safety (CPS) Scheme launched in 1991
10
Consumer Product Safety (CPS) Scheme
Pre-Market Registration for 45 Categories of Controlled Goods
11
Display of the Safety Mark
Registered Products to have the SAFETY Mark –
affixed by manufacturer / supplier before sale in the market
SAFETY Mark
on rating label
1212
CPS Scheme
‰ 1991 Launch of CPS
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
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
ƒ
Certification by 3rd party certification bodies
‰ 2005 Harmonizing with other ASEAN Regulatory Regime
and other MRAs
ƒ
ƒ
Stakeholder participation in regulations
Supplier declaration of conformity
Leveraging on Accreditation for faster processing
Accreditation Framework
Platform for international
acceptance of national
accreditation systems
National System to
ensure compliance to
international standards
and practices
Regulator using
accredited
certification
bodies & testing
labs
to ensure safe
products
Confidence in the
technical competency
& integrity of the
service providers
Assurance in Products
& Services rendered
Global Mutual Recognition
Arrangement on Accreditation
Singapore Accreditation Council
(secretariat provided by SPRING)
Inspection
Bodies
Certification
Bodies
Calibration &
Testing
laboratories
Industry (Products & Services)
NOTE : There are about 30 accredited certification bodies and 300 calibration & testing labs
14
14
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
• DEKRA Shanghai
• TUV Rheinland Taiwan
• Intertek Shanghai
• CMA Hong Kong
• Intertek Guangzhou
• Intertek Hong Kong
• CTI Shenzhen
• SGS Hong Kong
1515
Conducting Enforcement & Publicising Infringements
TODAY
15 MAY 2001
THE STRAITS TIMES
3 SEPTEMBER 2002
1616
Raising Awareness and Public Education
THE STRAITS TIMES
21 JUL 2005
LianHe Zaobao
08 DEC 2007
1717
Effectiveness of CPS Scheme
No. of accidents for controlled goods per 1m population
12
11
10
10
8
6
5
4
3
3
2
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
'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
1818
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
1919
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
2020
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.
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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.
Use of Standards in CGSR
Any 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
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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 and
ii. Inform users of the potential danger of the goods
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
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The New Regulations in the New
Publication :
Date
:
Publication :
Date
:
The Straits Times, Home (page B8)
5 March 2011 (Saturday)
The New Paper (page 13)
5 March 2011 (Saturday)
The New Regulations in the New
Publication :
Date
:
Today (page 2)
5-6 March 2011
Publication :
Date
:
The Business Times (page 16)
5-6 March 2011 (Weekend)
Working with the Market to ensure Safety
• 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.
Ensuring Safer Consumer Products
Associations
Importers
Manufacturer
Retailers
Consumers
Distributors
Outlets
Wholesalers
Efforts to Keep Products Safe
Monitoring
int’l alerts on
unsafe toys
SPRING
Education of
Surveillance &
key
Testing
stakeholders
Enforcement
Role of Suppliers
• 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 Consumers
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 repaired
by authorised serviceman
Participation in International and Regional Fora on
Electrical & Electronic Equipment Safety
™ 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 Sub-committee on Standards and
Conformance (SCSC)
™ APEC EE MRA implemented in 2008
™ ASEAN EE MRA signed in April 2002
ASEAN Consultative Committee
on Standards and Quality
(ACCSQ)
™ Harmonising Electrical & Electronic Equipment
Regulatory Requirements within ASEAN (agreed in
2005)
32
Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)
‰
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.
Consumer Goods Safety
Requirements (CGSR) – One Year On
34
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
35
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
36
Scanning : local and global
‰ Important to keep track of issues of concern worldwide
and emerging trends and hazards and detect unsafe goods.
Scanning includes ƒ injury and death information/reports
ƒ overseas trends
ƒ 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.
37
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:
9 to take products not meeting requirements off the
market
9 educate suppliers on selling safer products
9 create awareness: make consumers more aware of
pitfalls/what they need to lookout for/make safer
choices
38
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
39
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.
•
40
Regulations for Toys
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 or
ISO 8124 & IEC 62115
ii. SPRING’s Additional Safety Requirements for toys
* See Appendices E&F of the Information Booklet available
at www.spring.gov.sg/productsafety for the latest information
Decline in Number of Unsafe Toys
Toys that
failed tests
%
50
48%
46%
40
30
20%
20
16%
10
Jul 2010
Feb/Mar
2011
50 toys
tested by
CASE
50 toys
tested by
CASE
1 Apr
Launch
of
CGSR
Jun/Jul
2011
Dec
2011
200 toys
tested by
SPRING
200 toys
tested 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
44
International Sharing Cooperation
Information sharing on consumer products which pose risks to
consumer’s health and safety
Information
exchange
APEC
- PSIISS
Information
exchange
OECDCCP
ICPHSO
Consumer
Policy
Information
Sharing
Platforms
Standards
Information
exchange
ISOCOPOLCO
ICPSC
PROSAFE
Enforcement
45
Contact Consumer Product Safety Department
SPRING Singapore
5th Storey Podium Block
2 Bukit Merah Central
Singapore 159835
Hotline : (65) 1800 773 3163
Fax : (65) 6278 9885
Email : [email protected]
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