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USA: CPSC publishes final rule on safety standard for high chairs

june 2018- Relevant for:  Children's products

On 19 June 2018, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a final rule¹ on the safety standard for high chairs in Federal Register in order to comply with section 104 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). This rule incorporates by reference ASTM F404-18², Standard Consumer Safety Specification for High Chairs. Moreover, this rule amends the regulations regarding third party conformity assessment bodies to include the safety standard for high chairs in the list of Notices of Requirements (NORs).

Effective date of this final rule is 19 June 2019.

CPSC is incorporating by reference ASTM F404-18 because it includes provisions that are the same as, or consistent with, the requirements proposed in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR), and CPSC staff believes that the standard addresses the hazards associated with high chairs.

ASTM F404-18 contains requirements concerning:

• Threaded fasteners;
• sharp edges and points;
• small parts;
• wood parts;
• latching or locking mechanisms;
• permanency of labels;
• openings;
• lead in paint;
• forward, sideways, and rearward stability;
• exposed coil springs;
• scissoring, shearing, and pinching;
• restraint systems;
• structural integrity;
• tray latch release mechanisms;
• side containment;
• protrusions;
• protective components;
• tray or front torso support;
• static loads on the seat, step, footrest, and tray;
• bounded openings;
• warnings and labels; and
• instructional literature

[1] Final rule on safety standard for high chairs
[2] ASTM F404-18, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for High Chairs