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USA: CPSC updates safety standard for booster seats

july 2018- Relevant for: Toys & children's products

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published final rule¹ establishing new safety standard and notice of requirement (NOR) for booster seats used by children up to 5 years old, including the models that are designed for in restaurants. The rule, which will become effective 2 January 2020, incorporated ASTM F2640-18 as the mandatory standard for booster seats without modification.

The standard ASTM 2640 defines a booster seat as a juvenile chair, which is placed on an adult chair to elevate a child to standard dining table height. The booster seat is made for containing a child, up to 5 years of age, and normally for the purposes of feeding or eating. A booster seat may be height adjustable and include a reclined position. The standard does not cover car booster seats.

Compared to the previous version, this newly approved 2018 standard was published with following three essentials changes:

As reported, there were a total of 912 incidents related to booster seats from 1 January 2008 to 31 October 2017. The Commission received 2 fatal reports associated with attachment problem and stability-related issues. To minimise the risk of injury or death to infants in booster seats, the Commission decided to update the current mandatory safety standard. Considering the impacts to the affected firms, the Commission granted a longer transition period allowing manufacturers to redesign the new plastic molds and adjust the production line.

Booster seats fall under scope of durable infant or toddler product under section 104 of the CPSIA². The Act requires the products must meet certain children’s product safety requirements, mandatory standard, mandatory testing at a CPSC-accepted laboratory, certification, registration cards, and tracking labels and other markings.

[1] 16 CFR Parts 1112 and 1237
[2] CPSIA