The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has approved a new rule that details manufacturers’ obligations for selecting children’s products for sample testing, including how to choose a “representative sample.”
The process must be documented and the manufacturer must maintain the records for five years. The new requirements are part of another rule issued earlier this year that requires manufacturers of children’s products (including mattresses intended primarily for children 12 and younger) to test samples of their products on a periodic basis.
For children’s mattresses, manufacturers need to conduct sample testing to confirm compliance with flammability standards (16 CFR Parts 1632 and 1633), as well as phthalates, lead limits and other standards.
The rule takes effect Feb. 8 for products manufactured after that date. To learn more, check [link to Dec. 5 Federal Register pdf file] Testing and Labeling Pertaining to Product Certification Regarding Representative Samples for Periodic Testing of Children’s Products.
