Interim Rule: Safety Standards for Bicycle Helmets

The Commission announces that certain voluntary standards for bicycle helmets will become interim mandatory standards pursuant to the Children's Bicycle Helmet Safety Act of 1994. These interim mandatory standards shall remain in effect until replaced by a final standard to be issued by the Commission. These statutory interim standards are the American National Standards Institute (``ANSI'') standard Z90.4-1984, the Snell Memorial Foundation standard B-90, and ASTM standard F 1447- 1993. The Commission also announces its determination, pursuant to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Act, that five additional voluntary safety standards for bicycle helmets are appropriate as interim mandatory standards. These standards are ASTM F 1447-1994, Snell B-90S, N-94, and B-95, and the Canadian voluntary standard CAN/CSA-D113.2-M89. Failure of a bicycle helmet manufactured after the effective date of the interim mandatory standards to comply with at least one of the interim standards shall be considered a violation of a consumer product safety standard promulgated under the Consumer Product Safety Act.