ASTM F3681-24

Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Beach Umbrellas and Anchor Devices

SCOPE
1.1 This consumer safety specification establishes performance requirements for beach umbrella/anchor systems to prevent the beach umbrella/anchor system from detaching from the sand, including any entity that provides the use of beach umbrellas.  
1.2 No products existing or manufactured after the approval date of this consumer safety specification shall, either by label or other means, indicate compliance with this specification unless they conform to all applicable requirements contained herein.  
1.3 Test methods in this specification are to be used for the evaluation of beach umbrella/anchor systems to determine the suitability of the beach umbrella/anchor system in a use environment based on safety in wind conditions.  
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Mar-2024
• Technical Committee: F15 - Consumer Products
• Drafting Committee: F15.79 - Market Umbrellas

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F3681 − 24
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for
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Beach Umbrellas and Anchor Devices
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F3681; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
This consumer safety specification addresses incidents associated with beach umbrellas that were
identified by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Incidents identified by CPSC
and addressed in this standard include lacerations and impalement from the shaft/pole of a windblown
airborne beach umbrella. Umbrellas are commonly used as protection against sun, rain, or other
potential weather on beaches, in recreation areas, and at resorts. In windy conditions, beach umbrellas
have detached from the sand, and the windblown umbrella shaft has impacted various parts of a
bystander’s body, has caused serious injury and at least two deaths. It has been established through
empirical testing that umbrellas without effective anchoring devices are NOT safe for use on beaches.
This specification is written to address currently available beach umbrella/anchor systems and future
beach umbrella/anchor system designs. It is intended to be updated if substantive information becomes
available that necessitates additional requirements or justifies revision of existing requirements.
1. Scope Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
1.1 This consumer safety specification establishes perfor-
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
mance requirements for beach umbrella/anchor systems to
prevent the beach umbrella/anchor system from detaching from
2. Referenced Documents
the sand, including any entity that provides the use of beach
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
umbrellas.
D2487 Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering
1.2 No products existing or manufactured after the approval
Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System)
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date of this consumer safety specification shall, either by label
2.2 ANSI Standards:
or other means, indicate compliance with this specification
ANSI Z535.1 Safety Colors
unless they conform to all applicable requirements contained
ANSI Z535.4 Product Safety Signs and Labels
herein.
ANSI Z535.6 Product Safety Information in Product
1.3 Test methods in this specification are to be used for the Manuals, Instructions and Other Collateral Materials
evaluation of beach umbrella/anchor systems to determine the
3. Terminology
suitability of the beach umbrella/anchor system in a use
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
environment based on safety in wind conditions.
3.1.1 anchor device, n—a device that is attached to or
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
integrated into the umbrella pole and is secured in or on the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
sand on a beach, which enables the umbrella to perform in an
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
open upright or angled position and prevents the umbrella from
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
becoming airborne.
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor- 3.1.2 area of the umbrella plane, n—the number of square
feet of the umbrella plane as derived using geometric calcula-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the tions (see calculation in 7.3).
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
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This consumer safety specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Commit- contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
tee F15 on Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
F15.79 on Market Umbrellas. the ASTM website.
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Current edition approved April 1, 2024. Published April 2024. DOI: 10.1520/ Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
F3681-24. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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F3681 − 24
3.1.3 beach umbrella, n—a removable device installed in or accommodate the anchored beach
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