ASTM F963-17 – Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety

One of the most important aspects of toy safety has to do with the physical properties of the products.

In 2009, the enactment of the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008) made mandatory the requirements of the ASTM F963-07ε1 Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety, which was previously a voluntary standard. Since 2009, there have been four revisions to the standard, providing further refinement and updating of the requirements. The current version of the standard is ASTM F963-17. Another revision is also currently in the works.

All toys intended for children under 12 years of age are required to undergo testing, according to ASTM F963-17. Some of the key portions of the ASTM F963-17 standard focus on the physical and mechanical properties of toys. As part of the testing, toys are subjected to simulated use and abuse testing procedures, and evaluated for potential safety hazards, such as small parts, sharp edges and sharp points, just to name a few. In all, the standard includes 41 different sections.

Some examples of sections addressed in ASTM F963-17:
• Small Parts Testing
• Sharp Points Testing
• Sharp Edges Testing
• Plastic Film Requirements
• Cords and Strangulation Hazards
• Battery Safety
• Magnet Safety Testing
• Soluble Heavy Metals Testing
• Labeling Requirements – Choking Hazard Warnings for Small Parts, Small Balls, Age Grading, Producer’s Markings, etc.

TTL Laboratories, a CPSC-accepted laboratory, has been providing ASTM F963-17 compliance testing to both domestic and overseas manufacturers, since the inception of the CPSIA. Contact us today to discuss the testing needs for your product. We also can provide pre-production design evaluations, as well as labeling graphic reviews, to help avoid any issues, once the product has been manufactured.