New Federal Standard for Infant Bouncer Seats
Earlier this month the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of the United States approved a new mandatory federal standard relating to infant bouncer seats to improve safety and prevent death and injuries.
Bouncer (or bouncy) seats are made for infants between 4 and 6 months who are not yet sitting unassisted. The seat allows the baby to sit or lay in a reclined position while they bounce. The new standard, ASTM F2167-17 improves the stability requirements to help prevent tip-overs as well as addressing the battery compartment to help prevent issues like leakage, corrosion, and even overheating.
Other requirements for baby bouncer seats aim to reduce head injuries due to falls from high surfaces, require more visible warning signs about the danger of placing a bouncer seat on a high surface and the potential to fall by placing a warning label on the front of the seat at baby’s shoulder level, and instructing caregivers to use restraints.
CPSC reports that there were 347 incidents involving bouncer seats from 2006 to 2016. The majority of injuries were the result of unrestrained babies turning over in the seat, the bouncer seat tipping over on a soft surface, such as a bed or crib, or from an unrestrained baby falling when the seat was placed on an elevated surface like a countertop or table.
The following are tips CPSC recommends caregivers adhere to when placing infants in bouncer seats:
- only use the bouncer on the floor, and never place a baby in a bouncer on tall surfaces
- never place a baby in a bouncer seat on a soft surface
- always use the seat restraints
- stay close by when baby is in bouncer seat, never leave them alone
- discontinue bouncer seat use once a baby can sit unassisted, or when they reach the seat weight limit
If you are a manufacturer or producer of infant bouncer seats, this standard affects you! Make sure your product is in compliance with this mandatory federal standard, and other relevant standards by having your product tested, Contract Laboratory can help! Or if you need testing for other infant or children’s products such as cribs, walkers, bath seats, strollers, swings, carriers, toys, etc., submit a test request on our website or call us at 1-855-377-6821.
The following are infant and child product test requests we have helped facilitate testing for:
- Importer of baby blankets needs consumer products laboratory for confirmatory toxicity and product safety testing on the product to ensure it is safe for infant use.
- Consumer Products Laboratory needed for infant carrier testing under f2907 or f2236
- Consumer Products Safety Laboratory needed for car crash test safety testing of infant head and neck support approved by CPSC, Consumer Product Safety Commission needs
- Car Crash Safety Testing.
- ASTM Safety Testing Midwest USA lab needed to test the infant table for safety and no sharp edges. We also need it tested to make sure that it is a non-toxic toy.
- USA ASTM laboratory needed for Product Safety testing of Plush toys for Infants+ Materials: Mohair, Cotton, plastic safety eyes, plastic rattle
- USA (pref. New England) ASTM-certified product safety lab needed for safety testing of infant toys: lead/toxic chemical content, strength, etc.
- CPSA Product safety laboratory is needed for ASTM Testing (ASTM F963) for the safety of infants and babies, risk of injury, liability, etc…
- A consumer products testing laboratory is needed for flammability testing of infant activewear and infant sleepwear.
- The consumer products laboratory needed children’s product/toy testing for three different products: 1. fabric crinkle toy, 2. fabric blanket 3. 3-dimensional stuffed-toy cube made out of fabric and stuffed with poly-fill and bells
- Consumer Products Laboratory needed for CPSC testing of 3-4 models of bicycle mounted baby seats to ASTM F1625, Standard Specification and Test Method for Rear-Mounted Bicycle Child Carriers, and other US CPSC required testing
- more!
