CPSC releases revised requirements for toys containing button or coin batteries

On August 13,2024, The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a Notice of Proposal (NPR) seeking to revise the requirements for toys containing button or coin batteries. The proposed requirements would provide the highest practicable level of safety and be consistent with the requirements of the Commission's recent Reese's Law (Public Law 117-171) and international standards for electronic toys. The public comment period will end on October 15, 2024, and the final rule will take effect 180 days after publication in the Federal Register if there are no significant comments.

The proposal takes into account the aggregate assessment of battery compartment durability, combined with strength, battery compartment switch design, battery replacement operation, and the risk of children of different ages playing together, and revises the testing requirements for toys containing button or coin batteries under Section 4.25 Of ASTM F963-23, which are as follows:

1.Fastener safety: Fasteners used to secure the battery compartment must be fixed to the battery door or cover and can withstand a force of 4.5lbf (20N). In addition, opening or removing the battery compartment, door, or cover requires at least two turns of the screw or fastener.

2.Battery door or cover Safety requirements: For toys with a rotating or unscrewing battery cover, the proposal introduces a requirement that a minimum of 4.4 in-lbf (0.5Nm) of torque is required to open the battery door or cover and a minimum of 90 degrees of rotation is required to remove the battery door or cover.

3.Labeling requirements: The proposal updates the labeling requirements to be consistent with 16 CFR 1263.3 requirements for packaging, product, and explanatory information.

4.Use and abuse tests in prescribed order: The proposal calls for a series of use and abuse tests to be performed in a prescribed order, with subtle differences from the 16 CFR 1263 test (such as using a tip test instead of a drop test for large toys), depending on the safety concerns considered in the test, 16 CFR 1263 considers whether the battery is touchable after the test, In contrast, ASTM F963-23 takes into account risks such as sharp points, edges and small parts after testing, and therefore needs to be taken into account to ensure that the assessment conditions are reasonable.

CTT Tips:

Related exports to the United States containing button battery or coin battery toy companies should pay attention to the update of toy standards, this requirement for product quality requirements, please be sure to do a good job in advance of the improvement work. CTT has rich experience in product testing, to help you easily understand whether the product safety compliance, welcome to consult.

Link to original article：

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/13/2024-17472/safety-standard-for-toys-requirements-for-toys-containing-button-cell-or-coin-cell-batteries