CPSC Approves Federal Safety Rule for Hair Dryers Jun 15, 2011

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) unanimously approved a new federal safety rule on hand-held hair dryers. The CPSC has identified hand-held hair dryers that lack an immersion protection device as posing a substantial product hazard to consumers. The new rule gives CPSC more authority to stop shipments of hair dryers at U.S. ports of entry if they lack the required safety protection and to issue product recalls of such hair dryers.

Hand-held hair dryers are typically used in bathrooms where they're near water sources such as the sink and bath. Units that do not have an immersion protection device increase the risk of shock and electrocution to consumers.

The CPSC said a majority of the appliance makers in this industry segment already follow voluntary industry standards that call for an immersion protection device, and the CPSC said this voluntary effort contributed to a significant decline in electrocutions and electrical shock incidents.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 provided CPSC with the authority to establish federal safety rules for consumer products that have demonstrated substantial compliance with a voluntary standard or set of guidelines.

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