Reminder: Oct. 26 Webinar to Discuss Toy Safety Standard Revisions
October 24, 2016 | Members who have not already registered for the upcoming Toy Industry Association (TIA) webinar, “The Revised ASTM F963 Toy Safety Standard: What’s Changed and What You Need to Know” still have time to sign up. ASTM International last week officially released updates to its toy safety standard, now published as ASTM F963-16: Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety.
Taking place on Wednesday, October 26 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. (Eastern), the session is open to all toy industry stakeholders, and recommended for those who are responsible for product safety, product integrity, compliance, and development.
During the 90-minute webinar, a panel of technical experts who helped lead the review and revision of the standard will detail the changes to ASTM F963, including how products will be affected. The panel has strong expertise in ASTM safety standards and will provide an overview of changes being made to the standard in the following areas: projectiles, magnets, batteries, expanding materials, heavy metals, acoustics, microbiological safety, and toy chests, among others.
Webinar presenters will include:
- Alan Kaufman, TIA’s senior vice president of technical affairs;
- Frank Olbyrch, former director of global standards-quality assurance at Hasbro; and
- Dave Dick, senior technical engineer at Bureau Veritas North America.
“The 2016 edition of the standard is a compilation of the subcommittee’s efforts over the past five years to identify existing parts of the 2011 standard that needed revising. We explored potential emerging safety issues, new product features and new ways that toys are being used that may pose a risk to children,” said webinar moderator Joan Lawrence, TIA’s senior vice president of standards and regulatory affairs and chair of the ASTM subcommittee on toy safety. “This webinar will provide the crucial information companies need to prepare for the toy safety requirements once they become mandatory.”
The new ASTM F963-16 Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety includes numerous changes from the 2011 edition, including new requirements for: the already-extensive section on battery safety; materials and toys that could expand if swallowed; and toys involving projectiles, among other safety revisions.
Webinar registration is free for TIA members and $49 for non-members, and may be completed online. The session will be recorded and available post-event for members who are unable to participate live.