CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

USA: Federal standard for infant walkers updated

DECEMBER 2022 - TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

On 29 November 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a direct final rule¹ updating the incorporation by reference in 16 CFR Part 1216 to reflect that ASTM F977-22e1² will become the new mandatory standard, without any modifications. All infant walkers manufactured after 25 February 2023 must comply with this revised standard.

The ASTM F977 standard includes test methods, warning labels requirements, instructional literature, and several performance requirements aimed at reducing or preventing death or injuries to children (such as cuts and bruises, burns, and skull fractures). ASTM F977-22e1 contains substantive and non-substantive changes including those as well made to ASTM F977-12 in the 2018 and 2022 versions of the standard. 

The CPSC staff concludes that the revisions to the three versions improve the safety of infant walkers. The revisions provide for more stringent testing to require the dummy to be secured to the seating area closest to the edge of the test platform as well as notes to provide a means to do so. They also provide better readability due to grammatical corrections and reference adjustments.  Pursuant to the statute, staff recommends that the Commission allow the revised voluntary standard, ASTM F977-22e1, to become the mandatory consumer product safety standard for infant walkers.

[1] Federal Register/Vol. 87, No. 228

[2] ASTM F977-22e1