The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has voted to extend the implementation date for the mandatory safety testing of children’s toys.
In a 5-0 vote in July 2011, the Commission agreed to delay until December 31, 2011 the requirement that all children’s toys be tested and certified by a CPSC-approved third-party laboratory for compliance with federal toy safety requirements. After that date, safety and testing certification will be required for all children’s toys sold within the United States.
However, in a press release, the Commission notes that, despite the delay in the implementation of mandatory toy safety testing, manufacturers, importers and private labelers must still comply with current federal safety requirements for children’s toys covering electrical, thermal and mechanical hazards. Specific toy safety requirements are detailed in ASTM F963-08.
The CPSC’s extension now aligns the date of mandatory toy safety testing with that of lead content testing for all children’s products, which was delayed earlier this year by the CPSC.
