BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021 Safety of Toys - Migration of Certain Elements

Ensure the safety and well-being of children with the comprehensive BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021 standard, a crucial document for anyone involved in the manufacturing, testing, and regulation of toys. This standard is an essential tool for ensuring that toys are safe for children by addressing the migration of certain elements that could pose health risks.

Overview

The BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021 standard is a part of the EN 71 series, which is dedicated to the safety of toys. This particular part focuses on the migration of certain elements, ensuring that toys do not release harmful substances that could be ingested or absorbed by children during play. The standard is designed to protect children from potential exposure to toxic elements, making it a vital component of toy safety regulations.

Key Features

• Standard Number: BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021
• Pages: 66
• Released: 2021-04-29
• ISBN: 978 0 539 14377 5
• Status: Standard

Importance of Toy Safety

Toys are an integral part of childhood, providing entertainment, education, and development opportunities. However, they must be safe for children to use. The BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021 standard plays a critical role in ensuring that toys do not pose a risk to children's health. By regulating the migration of certain elements, this standard helps prevent exposure to potentially harmful substances such as lead, cadmium, and other toxic metals.

Who Should Use This Standard?

This standard is indispensable for:

• Toy Manufacturers: Ensuring compliance with safety regulations and maintaining high safety standards in toy production.
• Testing Laboratories: Conducting accurate and reliable tests to verify that toys meet the required safety standards.
• Regulatory Authorities: Enforcing toy safety regulations and protecting public health.
• Retailers: Ensuring that the toys they sell are safe and compliant with current safety standards.

Detailed Content

The BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021 standard provides detailed guidelines on the permissible limits for the migration of certain elements from toys and toy materials. It includes specific test methods and procedures to assess the levels of these elements, ensuring that they remain within safe limits. The standard covers a wide range of materials and toy types, making it applicable to various products in the toy industry.

Benefits of Compliance

Compliance with the BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021 standard offers numerous benefits, including:

• Enhanced Safety: Protects children from exposure to harmful substances, ensuring their health and safety.
• Regulatory Compliance: Helps manufacturers and retailers meet legal requirements and avoid potential penalties.
• Consumer Confidence: Builds trust with consumers by demonstrating a commitment to safety and quality.
• Market Access: Facilitates entry into markets that require compliance with international safety standards.

Conclusion

The BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021 standard is an essential resource for anyone involved in the toy industry. By providing clear guidelines and requirements for the migration of certain elements, it ensures that toys are safe for children to use. Adhering to this standard not only protects children's health but also enhances the reputation and credibility of manufacturers and retailers. Invest in the safety of your products and the well-being of your customers by incorporating this vital standard into your operations.

BS EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021

• 97.200.50 Toys

This document specifies requirements and test methods for the migration of aluminium, antimony, arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, Chromium (III), Chromium (VI), cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, selenium, strontium, tin, organic tin and zinc from toy materials and from parts of toys.

Packaging materials are not considered to be part of the toy unless they have intended play value.

NOTE 1 See the European Commission guidance document no. 12 on the application of the Directive on the safety of toys – packaging [2].

The standard contains requirements for the migration of certain elements from the following categories of toy materials:

• Category I: Dry, brittle, powder like or pliable materials;

• Category II: Liquid or sticky materials;

• Category III: Scraped-off materials.

The requirements of this document do not apply to toys or parts of toys which, due to their accessibility, function, volume or mass, clearly exclude any hazard due to sucking, licking or swallowing or prolonged skin contact when the toy or part of toy is used as intended or in a foreseeable way, bearing in mind the behaviour of children.

NOTE 2 For the purposes of this document, for the following toys and parts of toys the likelihood of sucking, licking or swallowing toys is considered significant (see H.2 and H.3):

— All toys intended to be put in the mouth or to the mouth, cosmetics toys and writing instruments categorized as toys can be considered to be sucked, licked or swallowed;

— All the accessible parts and components of toys intended for children up to 6 years of age can be considered to come into contact with the mouth. The likelihood of mouth contact with parts of toys intended for older children is not considered significant in most cases (see H.2).