Toy Industry Association (TIA) Statement on Toy Safety Best
Practices
Toy Safety Certification Program Redefined in Recognition of
Current Regulatory Requirements;
Best Practices Made Freely Available to all Toy Industry
Stakeholders
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) is making the foundational aspects
of its Toy Safety Certification Program® (TSCP®) freely
available as online resources to help all toy companies, importers and
testing laboratories facilitate compliance with the federal Consumer
Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). The formal certification
component of the TSCP is being placed on hold pending further U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) clarification of the
law. If conditions change, we will look at how the TSCP program
might also need to change to continue to promote enhanced toy
safety.
The fundamental requirements of the formal TSCP certification program
are consistent with current guidance from the CPSC encouraging toy
companies to establish and implement ‘Reasonable Testing
Programs’ that address testing, quality control and design
issues. After careful analysis, TIA has determined that it can
best assist the toy industry by redefining the TSCP’s design and
manufacturing requirements as industry best practices that can be freely
adopted by toy companies and importers as they await further
clarification from the Commission on CPSIA enforcement criteria and
policies. The guidance will also be useful for laboratories duly
qualified to perform testing as required under CPSC requirements and
regulations or as part of a company’s quality assurance
process. Adoption of the Toy Safety Compliance Practices will
further enhance the safety of toys sold in the United States.
TIA and its members remain fully committed to a broad range of
initiatives that will continually enhance toy safety. As such, the
Association will continue to work with regulators, toy companies,
retailers, consumer groups, labs and conformity assessment experts to
help toy companies and laboratories assure compliance with the CPSIA and
other toy safety standards.