U.S. - CPSC Approves ASTM F406-17 for Non-Full-Size Baby Cribs in Direct Final Rule

Vol. 1028 | 21 Jun 2018

As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved the new ASTM F406-17 to be incorporated in the federal regulation: 16 CFR 1220 – Safety Standard for Non-Full-Size Baby Cribs.
The 16 CFR 1220 safety standard, as originally promulgated, referenced the ASTM F406-10a with certain modifications to exclude requirements to retighten screws and bolts, clarify force application to slats/spindles, revise warnings to apply to both play yards and non-full-size cribs and to exclude the play yard specific requirements.

Since the promulgation of the rule, the ASTM F406 standard has gone through multiple revisions culminating with the current ASTM F406-17 version. The CPSC in its review of the various revisions to the standard has concluded that all the changes thus far, specific to non-full-size cribs, have clarified the standard without reducing its effectiveness. The revision in the ASTM F406-17 version of the standard aligns it in totality with the 16 CFR 1220 federal rule, by removing the allowance to retighten screws and bolts during testing, leading it to be adopted by the CPSC.

Other significant changes to the ASTM F406-17 standard since the ASTM F406-10a standard are as follows:

• Clarification that the force application on spindles/slats shall be applied on each side that can be folded or moved; aligning with the CPSC 16 CFR 1220 modifications
• Revising warnings to say “product” rather than “play yard” to ensure all non-full-size cribs are also covered
• Revisions to the definition of “Non-full-size cribs” and “drop-side/ drop-gate”
• Requirement for entrapment in accessories was clarified as well as requirements for cantilevered accessories was added
• Clarification added that removing the mattress is considered one of the two required actions for the release of a “double-action locking or latching device” located under the mattress
• Exemptions provided for openings in the surface of a mattress support made of rigid material and having a mattress thickness greater than 2.5 inches

The revised ASTM F406-17 standard becomes the mandatory Safety Standard for Non-full-size baby cribs effective September 10, 2018, unless the CPSC receives any significant adverse comments by July 6, 2018.
The Final Rule can be reviewed at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-06-06/pdf/2018-12021.pdf

For questions, please contact Laxmi Ravikumar (laxmi.ravikumar@intertek.com, +1-630-209-9265).