Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

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

Ref : EIC 111/2/21

10 December 2013

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 984/2013

US : CPSC Establishes New Safety Standard for Infant Carriers, Revises Safety Standard for Infant Bath Seats, Toddler Beds and Full-Size Cribs

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued in the Federal Register (FR) of 6 December 2013 a final rule establishing a mandatory safety standard for handheld infant carriers, and has issued in the FR of 9 December 2013 a direct final rule revising safety standards for infant bath seats, toddler beds and full-size cribs.

2. The mandatory safety standard for handheld infant carriers is based on the voluntary standard ASTM F2050-13a, "Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Hand-Held Infant Carrier." While the voluntary standard applies to freestanding, rigid-sided products, the CPSC standard also applies to semi-rigid-sided products. This new standard will become effective 6 June 2014.

3. The direct final rule revising safety standards for infant bath seats, toddler beds and full-size cribs incorporates by reference more recent versions of the applicable ASTM standards, which contain certain significant changes. This rule will be effective as of 24 March 2014 unless the CPSC receives significant adverse comments by 8 January 2014.

4. For details, please refer to the relevant FR notices, which are available at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-12-06/pdf/2013-29061.pdf and http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-12-09/pdf/2013-29226.pdf.

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

Yours faithfully,

(Ms Linda Ng)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry