Update: New Mandatory Furniture Safety Standard Likely Will Take Effect in September

Furniture World News Desk on 4/21/2023

The American Home Furnishings Alliance reported that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is expected to publish a new mandatory safety standard for clothing storage furniture in the Federal Register in the first weeks of May.

The agency voted April 19 to adopt ASTM International’s F2057-23 voluntary safety specification for clothing storage units as a mandatory safety standard required under the STURDY Act. STURDY is the “Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth” Act, legislation enacted in December as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2023.

The new direct final rule based on F2057-23 will take effect 120 days after it is published in the Federal Register, unless the Commission receives a significant adverse comment within 30 days of publication. If the Commission receives such a comment, it will withdraw the direct final rule.

The American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) previously estimated an early October effective date for the new rule, because final publication was not expected until after the 30-day comment period. However, CPSC officials confirmed Friday that the 30-day comment period occurs inside the 120-day timeline.

Industry has been advised to expect “a few weeks” before publication of the rule, pointing to an early- to mid-September effective date.

The new stability requirements will apply to all units within the scope of the rule with a manufacture date on or after the rule’s effective date.

The agency’s action this week included a stay of the existing CPSC Final Rule that was adopted in November 2022 and was slated to take effect May 24, 2023. The stay voids that rule and its May 24 effective date.

The American Home Furnishings Alliance, based in High Point, N.C., represents more than 200 leading furniture manufacturers and distributors, plus about 150 suppliers to the furniture industry worldwide.