Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 111/2/21

24 February 2012

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 151/2012

US : Acceptance of ASTM F963-11 as a Mandatory Consumer Product Safety Standard

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued in the Federal Register (FR) of 22 February 2012 a notice announcing its acceptance of ASTM F963-11 as a new mandatory consumer product safety standard. The FR notice is available at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-02-22/pdf/2012-3990.pdf.

DETAILS

2.Pursuant to section 106(a) of the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), ASTM F963-07: "Standard Consumer Safety Specifications for Toy Safety", as developed by ASTM International, became a mandatory consumer product safety standard (except for section 4.2 and Annex 4 or any provision that restates or incorporates an existing mandatory standard or ban promulgated by the CPSC or by statute). A revised standard, ASTM F963-08 was subsequently adopted and became effective on 16 August 2009 except for toy chests where section 4.27 of ASTM F963-07 remained in effect. The trade was informed via Commercial Information Circular No. 377/2009 of 24 July 2009 of the development.
 

3.On 15 December 2011, ASTM International proposed to the CPSC replacement of ASTM F963-08 with the latest revised standard ASTM F963–11. The CPSC determined that ASTM F963-11 improve safety of the consumer products covered, and accepted it as a new mandatory standard. Further information on ASTM F963-11 is available at ASTM International's website: http://www.astm.org/Standards/F963.htm; http://www.astm.org/standardization-news/update/toy-safety-jf12.html. Interested parties may also make reference to the CPSC's briefing package on the subject, available at: http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia12/brief/astmf963.pdf. 
 

4.ASTM F963-11 will become effective on 12 June 2012. However, as this standard does not reincorporate section 4.27 (toy chests) of ASTM F963-07, that provision regarding toy chests remains in effect.

ENQUIRIES

5.For enquiries concerning this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5682.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Cindy LAU)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry




　

Note :

While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.