SGS Certified to Test Children's Mattresses Under New CPSIA Rules

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- SGS Consumer Testing Services today announced a new lab certification for children's mattress testing that makes SGS one of the few organizations authorized to fulfill all mattress-related third-party testing requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). Mattress manufacturers can now source both flammability and chemical testing from SGS, eliminating the need to use multiple providers for CPSIA compliance.

The new certification by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) qualifies SGS's lab in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to test crib and youth mattresses to 16 CFR 1632 and 1633 federal flammability standards. The Tulsa lab is one of only six U.S. facilities to have received this accreditation to date, in part because relatively few sites with these capabilities are ISO 17025-accredited as required under CPSIA regulations.

SGS also has a 16 CFR 1632 and 1633-accredited lab in Guangzhou, China, ranking as the only company with CPSIA flammability testing capabilities in both the U.S. and Asia.

With these two lab certifications, manufacturers can contract with SGS to comply with a recent CPSC rule requiring Part 1632 and 1633 flammability testing of children's mattresses that are produced after November 16, 2010, or that were previously tested prior to August 18, 2010. Testing must be performed by a CPSC-accredited third party or in-house lab.

SGS can also supply CPSIA-required third-party lead and phthalate testing of children's mattresses (as well as other children's products) through its lab in Fairfield, NJ. The New Jersey lab has been CPSC-accredited for chemical testing since 2008.

Mattress manufacturers who use SGS for both flammability and chemical testing will work with one account manager who will coordinate the testing process in both labs to simplify and accelerate the compliance process.

"Having one company that can test both the flammability and chemical content of children's mattresses for CPSIA compliance saves time and administrative overhead for manufacturers," said Brian McDonald, Tulsa Lab Manager of SGS Consumer Testing Services. "With the combination of our Tulsa and Fairfield lab accreditations, SGS has become one of a handful of conformity assessment bodies that can provide this one-stop service."

All SGS labs accredited under the CPSIA program are ISO 17025-accredited, as required, and can test to ASTM F963 as well as other mandatory and voluntary standards for children's products. Reports provided by SGS can be used to create the certificates of compliance required to sell children's products in the U.S. market under the CPSIA legislation. Certificates of compliance are required for each stock keeping unit (SKU) subject to CPSIA rules.

More information about SGS mattress testing services is available by emailing [email protected] or calling 800-777-TEST. More information about SGS is available at www.us.sgs.com.

About SGS Consumer Testing Services

SGS Consumer Testing Services, a division of the SGS Group, is the world's leading verification, testing and certification company. The company's comprehensive testing, product inspection, process assessment and technical services cover the entire supply chain from product development to retailing for electrical products, wireless products, soft line products, hard line products and food products. SGS' global network and expertise provide a single consolidated source that can help manufacturers, suppliers and retailers reduce risk, improve efficiency and product quality, and ensure compliance to both national and international standards. Parent company SGS Group has more than 59,000 employees and over 1,000 offices and laboratories in 140 countries. For more information about SGS Consumer Testing Services, visit www.us.sgs.com/cts

SOURCE SGS Consumer Testing Services