Standardization News

ASTM International’s consumer products committee (F15) has created a new subcommittee on grill brushes. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission requested that ASTM consider this subcommittee (F15.04) after reviewing more than 100 injuries associated with grill brushes.
 
Incident data studied by the CPSC indicated that ingestion of wire from grill brushes necessitated surgery in some cases.
 
“The first proposed standard our subcommittee will be developing will address safety concerns of grill brushes,” says ASTM member Jason Fields, who will chair the new subcommittee. “The standard will specifically cover concerns about bristles detaching during use and posing ingestion hazards to consumers.”
 
Fields notes that the proposed standard will serve several purposes:

• Establish a common set of requirements for the manufacture of these products to ensure consumer safety;
• Consumers will be better informed and able to select safer products;
• Laboratories will have new testing opportunities for grill brushes. 

The new subcommittee invites all interested participants representing manufacturers, consumers, regulatory bodies, and testing firms to join. The subcommittee’s first meeting will happen on Oct. 23 at 1:00 ET via WebEx. Contact committee manager Molly Lynyak at mlynyak@astm.com for the meeting link.
 
“We are particularly interested in participation from medical professionals who have experience with bristle ingestion,” says Fields.
 
ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. JOIN ASTM.