SGS Provides Third-Party Testing Now Required for Bicycle Helmets

FAIRFIELD, N.J., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- SGS Consumer Testing Services announced today that it is providing third-party testing of children's bicycle helmets, as now required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Three of SGS's CPSC-accredited laboratories in the U.S., China & Taiwan are certified for bicycle helmet testing, making SGS the only testing service with this three-site coverage.    

The accredited SGS labs in Guangzhou and Taiwan enable helmets to be tested near the point of manufacture. SGS's Fairfield lab in New Jersey provides a domestic resource for U.S. importers, private labelers and retailers requiring certificates of compliance to sell helmet products under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. All three SGS labs are accredited to perform physical, mechanical and chemical testing to required standards.

The CPSC recently ruled that third-party testing and certification of a helmet's physical safety – including impact resistance, positional stability and chinstrap integrity – must be provided immediately for all children's bicycle helmets manufactured after February 10, 2010. The testing reports can be used to create the CPSIA-mandated general certificates of compliance required for all stock keeping units (SKUs).

Third-party testing and certification of overall lead content for children's bicycle helmets has been delayed until February 10, 2011. Helmets must still meet the current 300 ppm lead threshold but can comply through in-house testing or self-certification by the material manufacturer until that date.

The CPSC's delay in overall lead content certification does not affect the 90 ppm limit on lead in paint in children's products that took effect in December 2008 for all children's products manufactured after August 14, 2008. Under the revised 16 CFR 1303 lead in paint ban enacted by CPSIA, paints and coatings on children's bicycle helmets, like all children's products, must comply with the 90 ppm threshold.

"Our ability to provide a full scope of  bicycle helmet testing near both the manufacturing source and retail markets complements the buyer's existing supply chain structure, eliminating the need to use different labs for different services," said Sanjeev Gandhi, Technical Director, SGS Consumer Testing Services. "This can help speed time to market for helmet products sold in the U.S."

SGS's bicycle helmet testing services are part of an extensive CPSIA testing program available to manufacturers, importers, private labelers and retailers worldwide. SGS has 25 CPSC-accredited labs in the U.S., China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Brazil, Germany and United Kingdom. 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 56,000 employees and over 1,000 offices and laboratories in 143 countries. For more information about SGS Consumer Testing Services, visit www.us.sgs.com/cts.  

SOURCE SGS Consumer Testing Services