2012 cpsc safety academy: astm f963 toy safety standard

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

This presentation was prepared by CPSC staff, has not been reviewed or approved by, and may not reflect the views of, the Commission.

ASTM F963 Toy Standard

2012 CPSC Safety AcademyBethesda, MD

The Basics

• ASTM F963 was adopted as mandatory rule by CPSC, as required in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA)– Copyright still owned by ASTM-International –

copies must be purchased at www.astm.org– Read-only copies available for viewing online

when ASTM proposes revisions to CPSC

• F963 is one of the key requirements for children’s toys but other requirements also apply. (E.g. lead content, lead in paint, banned phthalates, small parts, hazardous substances….)

History of the Standard

• First version developed by toy industry and published by the National Bureau of Standards – 1976

• First version of ASTM F 963 developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) –1986

• ASTM F 963- 07e1 adopted as a mandatory standard by the CPSIA – 2008

• Most recent version (ASTM F 963-11) became effective June 12, 2012

ASTM F 963 - Overview

• Subcommittee members from industry, consumer groups, government

• Requirements based on injury analysis• Covers toys for children under 14 years• Scope excludes products addressed by

other standards• More than 40 sections of requirements• Annexes contain information and

rationale

Scope Overview

• Addresses thermal, electrical, and mechanical hazards of toys, packaging, and toy chests

• Sections for prevention of choking, lacerations, strangulation, impalement, suffocation, falls, burns, poisoning, eye injuries, etc.

• Age Grading: Advice for matching toys to children of certain ages

Where are we now? September 2011

• 2011 version added:– Lead requirements aligned with CPSIA–Heavy elements in substrate

• Compositing Procedure for Total Heavy Metal Analysis

– Cadmium requirements– Bath toy projections– Seat overload testing– Acoustics testing aligned with international

standard– Elastic tether toys testing–New figures

The Standard Itself

• List of other federal rules for toys• Definitions• Requirements• Test methods• Guidelines

Partial List of Requirements ASTM F963

• Sound-Producing Toys • Battery-Operated Toys• Small Objects • Stuffed and Beanbag-type

Toys• Projections • Marbles and Balls• Folding Mechanisms and

Hinges• Hemispheric-Shaped Objects• Cords and Elastics in Toys• Yo-Yo Elastic Tether Toys• Bath Toy Projections

• Wheels, Tires, and Axles• Magnets• Pacifiers• Balloons• Projectile Toys• Certain Toys with Spherical

Ends• Rattles• Teethers and Teething Toys• Squeeze Toys • Toxicology: Heavy Elements

in Paint and Substrate

8

How To Apply the Standard?

• Age grading:– matches the attributes of the toy to the capabilities of the

child; and– is used to determine the appropriate tests to which a product

must comply.

• The Commission considers:– the manufacturer’s labeling on the product, if it is

reasonable;– whether the product is advertised, promoted, and marketed

for that age child;– whether the product is recognized commonly by consumers

as being intended for that age child; and– Age Determination Guidelines – September 2002.

Examples• Not All Sections of F963 Apply to Every

Toy• Some Sections of F963 Require Third

Party Testing, Some Sections Do NOT require Third Party Testing

• Clear Examples– Toy Industry Association

• “Gray Area” Examples– Testing Laboratory: Pratik Ichhaporia, PhD,

Intertek Consumer Goods

Third Party Testing Required

Except in the following circumstances:

• Sections that address requirements for labeling,

instructional literature, or producer’s markings;

• Sections that involve assessments that are conducted by

the unaided eye and without any sort of tool or device.

• Sections that pertain to the manufacturing process and

thus, cannot be evaluated meaningfully by a test of the

finished product (e.g., the purified water provision at

section 4.3.6.1); and

• Sections that address food and cosmetics;

Where are we going?New Issues and Emerging

Hazards• Working groups:– Batteries in toys

Lithium batteries, fire prevention

– Magnets in toysMagnet strength, flux index, labeling

– Projectile toysKinetic energy, improvised projectiles

– Impaction hazardsNail-shaped hazards

– Emerging hazardsProjection hazards

– Toy Chests

Mandatory Standard Revision Process

• ASTM F963 revisions sent to CPSC for review

• CPSC may reject revisions within 90 days• Unless rejected, changes become

mandatory 180 days after proposal• CPSC rejected removal of toy chest

section from ASTM F963-08, so ASTM F963-07e1 toy chest requirements remain in use with ASTM F963-08

Thank YouPanelists:

Jonathan Midgett, PhD, CPSCjmidgett@cpsc.gov

Alan Kaufman & Joan Lawrence, Toy Industry Associationakaufman@toyassociation.org

jlawrence@toyassociation.org

Nancy Cowles, KIDS in Dangernancy@kidsindanger.org

Pratik Ichhaporia, PhD, Intertek Consumer Goodspratik.ichhaporia@intertek.com

Moderator:

Neal S. Cohen Small Business Ombudsman, CPSC

ncohen@cpsc.gov

Twitter

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