Tell the Consumer Product Safety Commission “iComply”

Automated artificial intelligence application facilitates compliance to forthcoming “15-Month Rule”

Published: Wednesday, December 8, 2010 - 13:21

(Intertek: Oak Brook, IL) – As the promulgation of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act’s (CPSIA) Certification and Testing Rule (also known as the 15-Month Rule) quickly approaches, U.S. manufacturers and importers of record will be required to comply with more stringent protocols and standards around the testing and certification of certain children’s products sold in the United States. In anticipation of the enormous impact of the industry-changing 15-Month Rule, Intertek, a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world, has developed iComply, an automated artificial intelligence application to help regulated entities ensure and demonstrate compliance.

iComply is a simple, user-friendly solution built on sophisticated technology that takes a sequence of product-specific information entered by the importer or manufacturer, produces a production test plan and then generates a general certificate of compliance (GCC). iComply offers 24/7 availability and serves as an easy-to-access, single source that stores the records and reasonable testing program information that importers and U.S. manufacturers are required to furnish quickly upon request from retailers, distributors, and regulatory agencies.

“The requirements of the 15-Month Rule place a heavy burden on U.S. manufacturers and importers of record to have detailed documentation surrounding consumer products sold in the United States at their fingertips to furnish to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s upon request, or they may face significant delays in getting their products to market,” says Gene Rider, president of Intertek Consumer Goods North America. “Drawing upon Intertek’s vast experience in consumer goods safety, testing, inspection, and auditing, we built iComply to fulfill a real and immediate need that enables importers of record and U.S. manufacturers to ensure compliance throughout the supply chain.”

The functionality of iComply enables importers and manufacturers to:

• Capture compliance documentation of multiple products and multiple manufacturers
• Create a production test plan with applicable test requirements and periodic testing guidelines
• Generate a GCC based on a reasonable testing program, which is required to be furnished to retailers and distributors upon request
• Manage a robust compliance program without the need for additional quality assurance or other employees
• Track material change and remedial actions across the global supply chain
• Store all required record-keeping documentation, including the GCC, in an easy-to-access single source, 24/7

To learn more about Intertek’s CPSIA testing services, visit www.intertek.com/cpsia  

To learn more about Intertek’s services for toys, games, and hardlines, visit www.intertek.com/toys.

About The Author

Intertek

Intertek goes beyond testing, inspecting, and certifying products. Intertek provides a systemic approach to supporting its customers’ quality assurance efforts in each of the areas of their operations including R&D, raw materials sourcing, components suppliers, manufacturing, transportation, distribution and retail channels, and consumer management. Intetek’s network of more than 40,000 employees in 1,000 laboratories and offices in 100 countries provides quality and safety solutions to a wide range of industries.