The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that it has decided to include two ASTM International standards covering full-size and non-full-size cribs in the regulatory requirements issued under Section 104 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
Effective June 28, 2011, all cribs on the market will need to be in compliance with the new mandatory rules, while anything used in a child care facility, family child care home, or public accommodation, such as a hotel or shelter, will need to have compliant cribs starting on Dec. 28, 2012.
The standards, ASTM F1169, Consumer Safety Specification for Full-Size Baby Cribs, and ASTM F406, Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Full-Size Baby Cribs/Play Yards, are under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee F15.18 on Cribs, Toddler Beds, Play Yards, Bassinets, Cradles and Changing Tables. F15.18 is part of ASTM International Committee F15 on Consumer Products.
In her comments about the passage of this new rule, CPSC Chairman Inez M. Tenenbaum remarked, “The Commission delivered on my promise to Congress and to parents across the nation to adopt mandatory robust and highly protective standards for full-size and non-full-size cribs in 2010. This was an enormous undertaking and an accomplishment achieved through the incredible work ethic and dedication to the safety of children demonstrated by CPSC staff, my fellow Commissioners and our stakeholder partners involved in the ASTM voluntary standards process.”
Building on the recently published 2009 version of F1169 that was revised to eliminate traditional dropsides and strengthen slat integrity (which are elements included in this mandatory regulation), the committee developed new testing - or strengthened existing testing - protocols in the following areas:
- A revision to ASTM F1169 that incorporates the existing applicable requirements for full-size cribs from 16CFR1508 including general requirements, test methods and revisions to labeling;
- The addition of language to address entrapments in products attaching to full-size cribs;
- The addition of general requirements that are currently included in other juvenile product standards but not in ASTM F1169;
- The addition of applicable mattress support system opening requirements;
- Changes to the crib side configuration; and
- Revision to the vertical mattress impact test.
Likewise, the committee undertook the task to approve revisions to ASTM F406 for non-full-size cribs that included the following:
- A revision to ASTM F406 that eliminates dropsides, adds requirements from 16CFR1509, adds new warnings to address items added to the top of play yards and non-full-size cribs, and new requirements from the current version of ASTM F1169 that addresses movable sides.
- Both standards were revised to improve the following:
- Revision to the slat integrity requirements;
- The addition of language to ASTM F1169 and ASTM F406 to address misassembly issues; and
- Language to address non-drop side hardware/wood screws for ASTM F1169 and ASTM F406.
In addition, ASTM F406 was revised again after the NPR was released in July 2010 to address additional comments brought up by the CPSC concerning the order of some provisions of the standard and to make editorial changes. The CPSC has incorporated this version (approved October 15, 2010) as the mandatory standard in the Final Rule.
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