ASTM F963-96ae2
(Specification)Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety
SCOPE
1.1 This specification relates to possible hazards that may not be recognized readily by the public and that may be encountered in the normal use for which a toy is intended or after reasonably foreseeable abuse. It does not purport to cover every conceivable hazard of a particular toy. This specification does not cover product performance or quality, except as related to safety. Except for the labeling requirements pointing out the functional hazards and age range for which the toy is intended, this specification has no requirements for those aspects of a toy that present an inherent and recognized hazard as part of the function of the toy. Such an example is a sharp point necessary for the function of a needle. The needle is an inherent hazard that is well understood by the purchaser of a toy sewing kit, and this hazard is communicated to the user as part of the normal educational process.
1.2 On the other hand, while a riding toy has inherent hazards associated with its use (for example, falling off onto the sidewalk), the possible hazards associated with its construction (sharp edges, exposed mechanisms, etc.) will be minimized by the application of this specification.
1.3 This specification covers requirements and contains test methods for toys intended for use by children in age groups through 14 years. Different age limits for various requirements will be found in this specification. These limits reflect the nature of the hazards and expected mental or physical ability, or both, of a child to cope with the hazards.
1.4 Articles not covered by this specification are as follows:
Bicycles
Tricycles
Sling shots and sharp-pointed darts
Playground equipment
Non-powder guns
Kites
Hobby and craft items in which the finished item is notprimarily of play value
Model kits in which the finished item is not primarily of play value
Crayons, paints, chalks, and other similar art materials inwhich the material itself or the finished item is notprimarily of play value, except that all art materials,whether or not a component of a toy, must comply to LHAMA, in accordance with 4.31.1-4.31.3.
Sporting goods, camping goods, athletic equipment, mu-sical instruments, and furniture; however, toys that aretheir counterparts are covered. (It is recognized thatthere is often a fine line between, for example, a musicalinstrument or a sporting item and its toy counterpart. The intention of the producer or distributor, as well asnormal use and reasonably foreseeable abuse, deter-mines whether the item is a toy counterpart.)
Powered models of aircraft, rockets, boats, and landvehicles; however, toys that are their counterparts are covered.
1.5 General guidelines for age labeling toys and toy packaging are contained in Annex A1.
1.6 Information regarding packaging and shipping is contained in Annex A2. A table to serve as a guide to the requirements contained in this specification, as applicable to various toy categories, is provided in Annex A3.
1.7 This consumer safety specification includes the following sections:Title SectionScope1Referenced Documents2Terminology3 Safety Requirements4Material Quality4.1Flammability4.2 Toxicology4.3 Electrical/Thermal Energy4.4Impulsive Noise4.5 Small Objects4.6 Accessible Edges4.7Accessible Points4.8 Projections4.9 Nails and Fasteners4.10Wires or Rods4.11 Packaging Film4.12 Cords and Elastics4.13Wheels, Tires, and Axles4.14 Folding Mechanisms and Hinges4.15Holes, Clearance, and Accessibility of Mechanisms4.16 Stability and Over-Load Requirements4.17 Confined Spaces4.18 Simulated Protective Devices4.19 Projectile Toys4.20 Rattles4.21 Pacifiers4.22 Squeeze Toys4.23 Teethers and Teething Toys4.24 Toys Intended to be Attached to a Crib or Playpen4.25 Toy Chests4.26 Battery-Operated Toys4.27 Flotation Toys4.28 Stroller and Carriage Toys4.29 Stuffed and Beanbag-Type Toys4.30 Art Materials4.31 Toy Gun Marking4.32Balloons4.33Marbles4.34Balls4.35Preschool Play Figures4.36Pompoms4.37 Safet...
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
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An American National Standard
e2
Designation: F 963 – 96a
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for
1
Toy Safety
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 963; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1
e NOTE—In 5.10.1.2, the signal word type sizes were editorially corrected in February 2002. Paragraph 8.16.4 was corrected
editorially in February 2002. Figures have been renumbered editorially since the original printing of this specification.
2
e NOTE—The warning symbols in section 5 were editorially corrected in May 2002.
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this consumer safety specification is to establish nationally recognized safety
requirements for toys. Although this specification will not eliminate the need for the exercise of
parental responsibility in selecting toys appropriate to the age of a child, or parental supervision in
situations in which children of various ages may have access to the same toys, its application will
minimize accidents in the normal, intended use and reasonably foreseeable abuse of the toys covered
by this specification. This specification was developed originally as a Voluntary Product Standard
under the auspices of the National Bureau of Standards, Department of Commerce, and published in
1976 (PS 72–76). The present revision is intended to update the safety requirements to include the
following by reference: published federal mandatory requirements, relevant voluntary standards,
certain new requirements for addressing potential hazards, and several technical revisions based on
producer experience with the original standard. In addition, where appropriate, test criteria have been
updated to reflect more current anthropometric data on U.S. children.
1. Scope 1.2 On the other hand, while a riding toy has inherent
2 hazards associated with its use (for example, falling off onto
1.1 This specification relates to possible hazards that may
the sidewalk), the possible hazards associated with its con-
not be recognized readily by the public and that may be
struction (sharp edges, exposed mechanisms, etc.) will be
encountered in the normal use for which a toy is intended or
minimized by the application of this specification.
after reasonably foreseeable abuse. It does not purport to cover
1.3 This specification covers requirements and contains test
every conceivable hazard of a particular toy. This specification
methods for toys intended for use by children in age groups
does not cover product performance or quality, except as
through 14 years. Different age limits for various requirements
related to safety. Except for the labeling requirements pointing
will be found in this specification. These limits reflect the
out the functional hazards and age range for which the toy is
nature of the hazards and expected mental or physical ability,
intended, this specification has no requirements for those
or both, of a child to cope with the hazards.
aspects of a toy that present an inherent and recognized hazard
1.4 Articles not covered by this specification are as follows:
as part of the function of the toy. Such an example is a sharp
Bicycles
point necessary for the function of a needle. The needle is an
Tricycles
inherent hazard that is well understood by the purchaser of a
Sling shots and sharp-pointed darts
toy sewing kit, and this hazard is communicated to the user as
Playground equipment
part of the normal educational process.
Non-powder guns
Kites
1
This consumer safety specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Commit- Hobby and craft items in which the finished item is not
tee F15 on Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
primarily of play value
F15.22 on Toy Safety.
Model kits in which the finished item is not primarily of
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 1996. Published January 1997. Originally
play value
published as F 963 – 86. Last previous edition F 963 – 95.
2
The rationale for this specification may be obtained from ASTM Headquarters.
Crayons, paints, chalks, and other similar art materials in
Request RR:F15 – 1000. The Toy Manufacturers of America, Inc. (TMA) can
which the material itself or the finished item is not
provide its interpretations of this specification through its General Counsel as a
primarily of play value, except that all art materials,
service to its members and others. The TMA’s interpretations are not reviewed or
approved by ASTM and should be viewed as TMA’s alone. whether or not a component of a toy, must comply to
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