The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has voted to approve the release of a supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (sNPR) for the proposed regulation 16 CFR 1218 Safety Standard for Bassinets and Cradles. This rulemaking process is required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which requires the promulgation of two new durable nursery product standards every six months. The proposed rulemaking is based on an existing industry standard, F2194 – 12, published by ASTM International, but features modifications that the CPSC believes necessary to address various hazards noted in existing products. A bassinet/cradle is defined in the proposed federal regulation as a:

“Small bed designed primarily to provide sleeping accommodation for infants, supported by free standing legs, a stationary frame/stand, a wheeled base, a rocking base, or which can swing relative to a stationary base; while in a rest (non-rocking or swinging) position, a bassinet/cradle is intended to have a sleep surface less than or equal to 10° from horizontal.”

The Challenge:
This new proposed regulation, among other things, aims to address safety concerns associated with bassinet and cradles with the introduction of new performance requirements that various hazards identified by CPSC staff. Key differences between the proposed 16 CFR 1218 federal regulation and the voluntary ASTM F 2194 – 12 safety specification include the following:

1. A revision to the scope that exempts products with a sleep surface inclined greater than 10° from horizontal
2. Revised definitions for a bassinet/cradle that only includes products with a “sleep surface less than or equal to 10° from horizontal”
3. An all new performance test to evaluate the “flatness” of segmented bassinet mattresses for potential suffocation hazards
4. A revised performance test to evaluate the stability of bassinets/cradle which better represents intended use conditions
5. An all new performance test to evaluate the stability removable bassinet/cradle beds which may be incorrectly installed

Are you prepared to incorporate these changes into your supply chain and ensure that your products comply with the proposed federal regulation?

The Solution:
Intertek, through our extensive global network, has a variety of services available to help you overcome the challenges related to complying with the proposed 16 CFR 1218 Safety Standard for Bassinets and Cradles. Besides keeping you ｕｐｄａｔｅd on this and other new product safety developments, Intertek experts can assess your specific compliance and product testing needs and recommend ways to ensure that your juvenile product and other product testing programs meet all the CPSC, as well as other US and international requirements, in the most effective and efficient way possible.