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USA: CPSC adopts ASTM F2057-23 as the mandatory standard for STURDY act

MAY 2023 - HARDLINES, TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

On 19 April 2023, the U.S CPSC Commissioners voted 3 to 1 to implement the STURDY Act¹.

CPSC voted to adopt ASTM F2057-23, Standard Safety Specification for Clothing Storage Units² as the CPSC mandatory safety standard for tipover concerns over clothing storage units. 

As mentioned in a previous article³; the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act⁴ was signed into U.S. law in December of 2022. The CPSC had previously approved a mandatory safety standard⁵ to address the risk of clothing storage unit tip-overs, which was to take effect on May 24, 2023, but will now be replaced by the new mandatory standard.

As required by STURDY, the voluntary standard had to meet the following performance requirements to become a mandatory standard:
• tests for stability when the unit is placed on carpeting,
• tests for stability with loaded drawers and with multiple drawers open, and
• tests that simulate the weight of children up to 60 pounds interacting with the unit.

CPSC examined and assessed the ASTM F2057-23 voluntary standard’s effectiveness as required by the law and determined that the standard meets STURDY’s requirements. 

Consequently, on 4 May 2023, CPSC issued a new Direct Final Rule⁶ on Federal Register adopting ASTM F2057-23 as the mandatory safety standard.

The effective date for the new federal rule will be effective 1 September 2023 unless the commission receives a significant adverse comment by 5 June 2023.

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