The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has proposed a new federal requirement last week for decorative seasonal lighting to prevent electrical fires and other hazards. The new rule would be applicable to seasonal and decorative lighting that does not display one or more of the following characteristics: minimum wire size, sufficient strain relief or overcurrent protection.
Decorative lighting that does not meet new standards would be deemed a substantial product hazard under section 15(a)(2) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). The agency has reported more than 250 people have been killed since 1980 due to decorative lighting malfunctions.
