SGS expert details the differences between the existing safety standard for clothing storage units and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) briefing standard issued on July 14, 2021.
In response to the threat posed to children by unstable storage furniture, the US Congress’ House and Senate have proposed the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act. If signed into law, the CPSC would be required to promulgate a rule that introduces strict stability standards to protect children and prevent tip-overs. According to US government figures, one or two children are killed every month by tip-over incidents.
According to the briefing standard, rigorous testing measures would include:
- Simulation of the weight of children up to 60 pounds
- Objective, repeatable and measurable tests that simulate real-world use, including products:
- On carpeted floors
- With items inside the drawers
- Multiple open drawers
- Dynamic force
- Testing of all storage units, including those 27 inches and above in height
In addition, there are also warning requirements based on the most up to date safety standards.
The most current industry standard is ASTM F2057-19, which is aimed at reducing injuries and death caused by clothing storage units. However, the CPSC briefing standard has a number of differences to this standard, including the replacing of a binary pass/fail outcome from assessment. Instead, the proposed standard would assign a stability rating between zero and five, with five being the most stable.
SGS Technical Specialist Allen Moldovan has created a breakdown of the key differences between the standards in SGS’s original SafeGuard 164/21.
The STURDY Act is currently progressing through Congress. If/when it is signed into law, clothing storage units manufactured or imported into the US, on or after a pending date, will be required to comply with the new standard. Products manufactured or imported prior to this date will not be required to conform to the standard but many manufacturers are already testing against its provisions in preparation.
SGS Furniture Services
SGS helps you deliver well-designed, functional, durable and safe products to your customers. We have the furniture industry, regulatory and technical expertise to check your products’ compliance against relevant standards and/or your own specifications. Learn more about SGS’s Furniture Services:
SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full New US CPSC Standard on Clothing Unit Stability SafeGuardS.
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For further information contact:
Allen Moldovan
Technical Specialist – Hardlines
Tel: +1 973 461 1505
Email: crs.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines
LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail
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