New toy safety regulations July 2011
Toy safety legislation changes 20th July
Best Years are a soft toy wholesaler specialising in knitted, crochet and fair-trade and organic toys. We are not a testing house nor do we profess to having any particular specialist knowledge on toy safety. However we do care passionately about toy safety and believe that we all have a responsibility to ensure that toys are safe and practical.
This responsibility starts with toy designers, manufacturers and importers but it also extends to parents not buying a toy from an unknown retailer at an unfeasibly low retail price and retailers having a basic knowledge of relevant toy safety legislation
Given that the biggest overhaul of toy safety legislation happens on 20th July we have been attending detailed seminars about what we need to do to ensure that we conform to both the spirit and the letter of the new regulations.
However we have been more than a little surprised about how little approachable information there is available for retailers and parents. There are huge documents detailing how EN71 is being changed but these are not designed for quick digestion! If we are all to share responsibility for toy safety then retailers and consumers should have access to informed and easily accessible information
We have therefore attempted to summarise what we feel the impact of the new regulations will be. Just to confirm again we are not a testing house, nor are we large enough to employ a toy technologist and we are certainly not the representative of a trade association. We are a toy wholesaler who cares! We have a narrow band of knowledge which covers soft toys only and what this article is attempting to do is show if you have any gaps in your knowledge.
If after reading this article you realise that you need a detailed update please contact your trade association or if you have any detailed questions about the regulations we heartedly recommend that you approach your local trading standards. They are the tops for pragmatic and clear advice and they definitely have more information than we do!
The new toy safety directives aim to ensure that safety is designed in to the product rather than being something which is tested for only after a toy has been manufactured
For this reason every toy will have a technical file which details all the components used in the manufacture of the toy and the tests which these components have had.
The technical file will include the bill of materials, safety assessment, test certificates and a declaration of conformity.
It is the responsibility of the toy manufacturer to compile this technical file. If you name and address is on the sew in label you are the manufacturer. Every toy coming in to Europe must have a European address on the sew in label
It is the responsibility of the importer to ensure that this information is up to date, complete and correct. Importers distribute toys which are either made in the EU or have an EU address on them
It is the responsibility of the retailer or distributor to ensure that all toys they sell have the CE mark on them and that the toys are kept in such a way as not to potentially damage them
Some changes to the regs which will probably be of particular interest to retailers are as follows
• Toys meant for under 3s must be washable not just surface wash only.
• If you have an internet shop then any warnings on the toy must be detailed in full under the description of the toy
• If a company shows a product at trade show without a CE mark, there must be a sign up indicating that it doesn't comply now but will comply when its physically sold.
• The product must comply with regulations for the products lifetime and not just for the day its sold therefore when doing safety assessment, you must take into account use and abuse of product.
• Requirements are also extended to include products which, whilst not promoted as toys, are attractive to children and have play value. Obvious examples include child appealing key-rings, Christmas novelties and decorative attachments to children's garments
Other articles we have on toy safety are about toy safety myths and another article on the toy safety regs
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