Press Release - Fed Staff Now Backing Tougher Generator Safety

Press Release - Fed Staff Now Backing Tougher Generator Safety

A U.S. senator's ongoing effort to make portable generators safer for use after hurricanes and winter storms is set to get a big boost this week, as staff of the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) intends to recommend that manufacturers be required to take tough new steps to prevent carbon monoxide deaths.

Last year during the hurricane season at least 64 people died and hundreds more were harmed or injured after being overcome by fumes from portable generators turned on because of storm-or disaster-related power outages. Twelve Floridians died from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.

In response, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida filed legislation last December to require that manufacturers place conspicuous warning labels on generators and install switches that shut them off when carbon monoxide reaches dangerous levels. The CPSC initially responded by adopting only the requirement for warning labels. But now in a new development, the commission's staff is recommending the agency go further and require reduced CO emissions or the shut-off switches urged by Nelson.

The staff is scheduled to present this recommendation at a CPSC meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday morning in Bethesda, Maryland. A copy of the recommendation was recently obtained by Nelson.

"Federal regulators knew people were dying from portable generators, but did nothing," Nelson said today. "It was a step in the right direction earlier this year when the commission required warning labels. Now the commission needs to follow the new advice from its staff and require the shut-off switches."

According to CPSC records, the staff is calling for a new rule on generator safety that could require manufacturers to reduce carbon monoxide emissions or install sensors that shut engines off automatically when poisonous CO levels are detected.

The staff first advised the commission in 2003 that warning labels were needed because people skipped over the fine print in instruction manuals. But instead of taking action, the Bush administration decided on further study of the safety aspects of portable generators.

When Nelson learned of the delay in 2005 he filed legislation that helped spur the CPSC to require the warning labels, and now for the staff to recommend additional safety measures, like, reduced emissions or the shut-off switches - although the bill still is stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate.

http://billnelson.senate.gov/news/details.cfm?id=265124&