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USA: CPSC updates safety standard for portable bed rails

MARCH 2020 – RELEVANT FOR: CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has published a direct final rule¹ revising the mandatory safety standard for portable bed rails to incorporate the latest version of applicable standard ASTM F2085-19² without modification. The rule will become effective on 20 May 2020, unless significant adverse comment would be received by 26 March 2020.

A portable bed rail is defined as a device intended to be installed on an adult bed to prevent children from falling out of bed. These bed rails are intended for children who can get in and out of an adult bed unassisted, typically from 2 to 5 years of age.

The current version of the mandatory safety standard for portable bed rails under 16 CFR Part 1224 is ASTM F2085-12. Revisions to new standard ASTM F2085-19 include a substantive change which affects test platform 2, non-substantive changes such as updates on unit expressions, footnotes and other editorial amendments.

The test platform 2 is a standard, twin size, innerspring, thick mattress covered by a sheet, which is used to assess the influence of mattress thickness on bedrail performance. Test laboratories reported that the sheet with 50/50 cotton/ polyester blend specified in ASTM F2085-12 is difficult to source. To increase the ease of sourcing the test material, ASTM changed the sheet content to 60/40 cotton/polyester blend in the new standard.

[1] 16 CFR Part 1224

[2] ASTM F2085-19