As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has recently published the new federal regulation 16 CFR 1223 Safety Standard for Infant Swings. All infant swings manufactured on or after May 7, 2013 are required to be compliant with and certified to this new safety standard. The regulation is based on an existing industry standard, F2088-12a Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Swings, published by ASTM International, with modifications made by CPSC to clarify product warning statements. An infant swing is defined in the federal regulation as:

"a stationary unit with a frame and powered mechanism that enables an infant to swing in a seated position. An infant swing is intended for use with infants from birth until a child is able to sit up unassisted.”

The Challenge:
This regulation, among other things, aims to address safety concerns associated with infant swings through general, performance, and warning requirements. Key requirements of the newly published federal regulation include:

1. Specific requirements for electrically powered products and their electrical components
2. Updated structural integrity requirements for both static and dynamic load testing
3. Stability requirements for products that includes testing in multiple product orientations
4. Specific requirements for restraint systems based on maximum allowable seat back angles
5. Specific warning language that addresses strangulation and suffocation

Are you prepared to incorporate these requirements into your supply chain and ensure that your products comply with the federal regulation?

The Solution:
Intertek, through our extensive global network, has a variety of services available to help you overcome the challenges related to complying with the new regulation 16 CFR 1223 Safety Standard for Infant Swings. Besides keeping you ｕｐｄａｔｅd on this and other new product safety developments, Intertek experts can assess your specific compliance and product testing needs and recommend ways to ensure that your juvenile product and other product testing programs meet all the CPSC, as well as other US and international requirements, in the most effective and efficient way possible.