TITLE 16 - COMMERCIAL PRACTICES

CHAPTER II - CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

SUBCHAPTER A - GENERAL

PART 1031 - COMMISSION PARTICIPATION AND COMMISSION EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT IN VOLUNTARY STANDARDS ACTIVITIES

subpart b - EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT

1031.10 - Definitions.

For purposes of describing the level of involvement in voluntary standards activities for which Commission employees may be authorized, the following definitions apply: (a) Membership. Membership is the status of an employee who joins a voluntary standards development or advisory organization or subgroup and is listed as a member. It includes all oral and written communications which are incidental to such membership.

  (b) Participation. Participation is the active, ongoing involvement of an official or employee in the development of a new or revised voluntary standard pertaining to a particular consumer product or to a group of products that is the subject of a Commission hazard project. These projects should be one of those that are approved by the Commission, either by virtue of the agency's annual budget or operating plan, or by other specific agency authorization or decision, and are in accord with subpart A. Participation includes regularly attending meetings of a standards development committee or group, taking an active part in discussions and technical debates, registering opinions and expending other resources in support of a voluntary standard development activity.

It includes all oral and written communications which are part of the participation process.

  (c) Monitoring. Monitoring is involvement by an official or employee in maintaining an awareness of the voluntary standards development process by attendance at meetings, receiving and reviewing minutes of standards development meetings and copies of draft standards, and commenting during the standards development process. It involves all oral and written communications which are part of the monitoring process. These monitoring activities must be related to general voluntary standards projects set forth in the agency's annual budget or operating plan or otherwise approved by the agency.

  (d) Observation. Observation is the attendance by an official or employee at a meeting of a voluntary standards development group for the purpose of observing and gathering information.

  (e) Communication. Communication is the oral or written contact by an official or employee with a representative or committee of a voluntary standards organization or advisory group.