ASTM F963-03

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 under 14 years of age. 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 General guidelines for age labeling toys and toy packaging are contained in Annex A1.
1.5 Information regarding packaging and shipping is contained in Annex A2.
1.6 The values stated first are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.7 The following precautionary statement pertains only to the test methods portion, Section 7, of this specification: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Sep-2003
• ICS: 97.200.50 - Toys
• Technical Committee: F15 - Consumer Products
• Drafting Committee: F15.22 - Toy Safety

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM F963-96ae2 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2951-19 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Baby Monitors
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2194-22e1 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Bassinets and Cradles
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F1487-21 - Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2167-22 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Bouncer Seats
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2012-18e1 - Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Stationary Activity Centers
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F404-21 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for High Chairs
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2670-22 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Bath Tubs
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F3458-21 - Standard Specification for Marketing, Packaging, and Labeling Adult Magnet Sets Containing Small, Loose, Powerful Magnets (with a Flux Index ≥50 kG<sup >2</sup> mm²)
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2907-22 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Sling Carriers
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F3101-21a - Standard Specification for Unsupervised Public Use Outdoor Fitness Equipment
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F1169-19 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Full-Size Baby Cribs
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2640-18 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Booster Seats
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2923-20 - Standard Specification for Consumer Product Safety for Children&#x2019;s Jewelry
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F2373-11(2017) - Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months through 23 Months
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Contact ASTM
International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
An American National Standard
Designation: F 963 – 03
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for
1
Toy Safety
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F963; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
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.
1. Scope struction (sharp edges, exposed mechanisms, etc.) will be
2 minimized by the application of this specification.
1.1 This specification relates to possible hazards that may
1.3 This specification covers requirements and contains test
not be recognized readily by the public and that may be
methodsfortoysintendedforusebychildrenunder14yearsof
encountered in the normal use for which a toy is intended or
age.Differentagelimitsforvariousrequirementswillbefound
afterreasonablyforeseeableabuse.Itdoesnotpurporttocover
in this specification. These limits reflect the nature of the
every conceivable hazard of a particular toy.This specification
hazards and expected mental or physical ability, or both, of a
does not cover product performance or quality, except as
child to cope with the hazards.
related to safety. Except for the labeling requirements pointing
1.4 Articles not covered by this specification are as follows:
out the functional hazards and age range for which the toy is
Bicycles
intended, this specification has no requirements for those
Tricycles
aspects of a toy that present an inherent and recognized hazard
Sling shots and sharp-pointed darts
as part of the function of the toy. Such an example is a sharp
Playground equipment
point necessary for the function of a needle. The needle is an
Non-powder guns
inherent hazard that is well understood by the purchaser of a
Kites
toy sewing kit, and this hazard is communicated to the user as
Hobby and craft items in which the finished item is not
part of the normal educational process.
primarily of play value
1.2 On the other hand, while a riding toy has inherent
Model kits in which the finished item is not primarily of
hazards associated with its use (for example, falling off onto
play value
the sidewalk), the possible hazards associated with its con-
Crayons, paints, chalks, and other similar art materials in
which the material itself or the finished item is not
primarily of play value, except that all art materials,
1
This consumer safety specification is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Commit-
whether or not a component of a toy, must comply to
tee F15 on Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
LHAMA, in accordance with 4.30.1-4.30.3.
F15.22 on Toy Safety.
Sporting goods, camping goods, athletic equipment, mu-
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2003. Published December 2003. Originally
e1
approved in 1986. Last previous edition approved in 1996 as F963–96a .
sical instruments, and furniture; however, toys that are
2
Toy IndustryAssociation, Inc. (TIA) sometimes provides its interpretations of
their counterparts are covered. (It is recognized that
this specification through its counsel as a service to its members and others. The
there is often a fine line between, for example, a musical
TIA’sinterpretationsarenotreviewedorapprovedbyASTMandshouldbeviewed
as TIA’s alone. instrument or a sporting item and its toy counterpart.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Contact ASTM
International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
F963–03
The intention of the producer or distr
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