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ASTM Committee Has Published Revised ASTM F963:2011 Standard for Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety

The Toy Safety Standard ASTM F963-08 has been revised to ASTM F963-11. This revision was approved on December 1, 2011 and published on December 16, 2011. The CPSC will begin their review process and has 90 days to determine if they will accept the revised ASTM F963-11. If there is no objection from the CPSC, the new version will become mandatory 180 days after the Commission was notified of the availability of the new standard which is June 13, 2012.

Summary of the Revision to ASTM F963-11:

1. Revision of Heavy Metal:

● Add new section for substrate materials to include CPSIA Lead content Limit.
● Soluble migration for other heavy elements at same level as EN 71-3.
● Excludes some substrates that are inaccessible or cannot be mouthed or sucked, including metal, glass and ceramic that are not small parts. Also excludes materials that are excluded in 16CFR1500.88 and 16CFR1500.91.
● Add new cadmium requirement for metallic toys or metallic toy components which are small parts may not exhibit extraction of more than 200 μg of cadmium when tested per CPSC-CH-E1004-11.
● Add total metal content screening method which would eliminate soluble testing when total results are less than soluble limit. Allows compositing for total metal content screening test but not for soluble testing. Alternative tests are allowed as long as specific conditions are met (i.e., XRF testing) for test labs.

2. Revision of Mechanical and physical Properties
The following outlines some of the proposed revisions:
● Revision for scope -Non-Powered Scooters (ASTM F2264) , Recreational Powered Scooters and Pocket Bikes(ASTM F2641), juvenile products and Constant air inflatables are not covered by this specification.
● Bath toy projections-Additional design guidelines are provided in Annex A4.
● Toys with spherical ends - Clarifies the scope with pictorial examples for testing consistency.
● Stability of ride-on toys or toy seats – Addresses the load placement for Fore and Aft stability and sideways stability.
● Teethers and Teething Toys,Rattles and Squeeze toys – Except from Soft-filled (stuffed) toys or soft-filled parts or parts of fabric. And Rigid components having a major dimension equal to or less than 1.2 in. (30 mm) contained within soft-filled toys
● Yo yo elastic tether toys - Defines the measuring of the length of the tether when the tether is fully extended during rotation.
● Stuffing Materials – In addition to fiber filling, "loose fillers" to include any other natural or synthetic filling material such as, but not limited to, hair, foam, feathers, sawdust and rubber.
● Plastic film - Expands the scope of the requirement to include flexible plastic film bags and flexible plastic sheets used not only as packaging materials but also used with or as part of toys.
● Toy seats - Defines the "toy seat" as a stationery toy product with a seat where the amusement of the child is a primary function of the product and the play pattern intends that the child be in a seated position.
● Jaw entrapment - Revision of gauge size requirements to add a third dimension.

Additional Information
To view and purchase a copy of the ASTM F963-11: http://www.astm.org/Standards/F963.htm