The Australia Government has published approved Consumer Goods (Button/Coin Batteries) Safety Standard and Consumer Goods (Button/Coin Batteries) Information Standard. On and after 22 June 2022, an applicable button/coin battery shall comply with the Regulations. The following are the highlight:

A.Consumer Goods (Button/Coin Batteries) Safety Standard

This Regulation shall apply to applicable button/coin batteries, including such batteries supplied together with other consumer goods

However, the followings shall not be applied to this Regulation:

1. Applicable button/coin batteries of zinc-air chemistry designed for, or intended to be used in, hearing aids; or
2. Applicable button/coin batteries supplied in bulk if:
3. the button/coin batteries are supplied with the intention to be used in trades, professions or industries; and
4. the button/coin batteries are not intended for sale to the general public; or
5. Applicable button/coin batteries that have been installed in consumer goods before the consumer goods are supplied.

Requirements

1.The packaging of an applicable button/coin battery shall be designed to be resistant to being opened by young children.

2.If one or more applicable button/coin batteries are packaged in blister packaging, the packaging shall be designed so that:

1. only a single applicable button/coin battery is released at a time; and
2. the packaging is resistant to being opened by young children.

3.To meet the above requirements, the packaging of the applicable button/coin battery shall be tested with specified clauses and sections of the following standards:

1. AS 5808-2009
2. AS 1928-2007
3. EN 862:2016
4. ISO 28862:2018
5. ISO 8317:2015
6. IEC 60086-4: 2019
7. Subchapter E (Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970 Regulations) of Chapter 2 (Consumer Product Safety Commission) of Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations, published by the Office of the Federal Register National Archives and Records Administration of the United States of America

B.Consumer Goods (Button/Coin Batteries) Information Standard

Scope

This Regulation shall apply to button/coin batteries.

However, the followings shall not be applied to this Regulation:

1. the batteries are supplied with the intention to be used in trades, professions or industries; and
2. the batteries are not intended for sale to the general public.

Labelling Requirements

1.The following warning statements shall be marked clearly visible, prominent and legible on the packaging of a button/coin battery:

1. an alert word (such as DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION) with the letters of the alert word in upper case;
2. a combination of an internationally recognized safety alert symbol and an internationally recognized “keep out of reach of children” symbol;
3. a statement to the effect that the battery is hazardous and is to be kept away from children (whether the battery is new or used);
4. if the battery is a lithium button/coin battery - a statement to the effect that the battery can cause severe or fatal injuries in 2 hours or less if it is swallowed or placed inside any part of the body;
5. if the battery is a non-lithium button/coin battery - a statement to the effect that the battery can cause serious injuries if it is swallowed or placed inside any part of the body;
6. advice to the effect that medical attention should be sought immediately if it is suspected the battery has been swallowed or placed inside any part of the body.

2.The following are the example of an internationally recognized safety alert symbol and an internationally recognized “keep out of reach of children” symbol, which are specified in ISO 7010-W001 and IEC 60086-4:2019 respectively:

3.The following warning format specified in IEC 60086-4:2019 is an example warning for a lithium button/coin battery:

4.Warnings shall comply with the requirements of size and legibility of product safety labels and durability of product safety label mentioned in clause D.5 and clause D.7 of ISO 3864-2:2016.

5.For a lithium button/coin battery with a diameter ≥ 20 mm, an internationally recognized “keep out of reach of children” symbol. The diameter of the symbol shall be ≥ 6 mm, and clearly visible, prominent and indelible.

1.If there is sufficient space, a button/coin battery are recommended to be marked clearly visible, prominent and indelible with an internationally recognized “keep out of reach of children” symbol. The diameter of the internationally recognized “keep out of reach of children” symbol should be ≥ 6 mm.

2.For button/coin batteries supplied with electronic platform, the following warnings are recommended to be included in the batteries’ description provided by the platform:

1. an alert word (such as DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION) with the letters of the alert word in upper case;
2. an internationally recognized safety alert symbol;
3. a statement to the effect that the battery is hazardous and is to be kept away from children (whether the battery is new or used);
4. if the battery is a lithium button/coin battery - a statement to the effect that the battery can cause severe or fatal injuries in 2 hours or less if it is swallowed or placed inside any part of the body;
5. if the battery is a non-lithium button/coin battery - a statement to the effect that the battery can cause serious injuries if it is swallowed or placed inside any part of the body;
6. advice to the effect that medical attention should be sought immediately if it is suspected the battery has been swallowed or placed inside any part of the body.

3.The following warnings are recommended to be supplied:

1. advises to the effect that, if it is suspected the battery has been swallowed or otherwise placed inside any part of the body, a person should contact the Australian Poisons Information Centre immediately for 24/7 fast, expert advice; and
2. includes the phone number for the Australian Poisons Information Centre.

4.A button/coin battery is recommended to contain the statement about how to safely dispose of the battery.

Note:

Applicable button/coin battery means: a small, single cell battery of lithium chemistry with a diameter greater than the battery’s height; or a small, single cell battery of a chemistry other than lithium with a diameter of 16 mm or greater.

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