Safety & Compliance: Toy Association Announces Two New Member Services
February 18, 2019 | The Toy Association has announced two new services it is excited to offer to its members free of charge – a Safety Education Program that details requirements for toy safety at the U.S. federal and state levels, as well as internationally – and an international regulatory database of the standards and requirements applicable to toys in five major consumer markets. The announcement was made during the annual Toy Safety and Compliance Update earlier today at Toy Fair New York.
“Toy safety is a consistent and unfailing priority for The Toy Association and the toy industry. Bringing joy through the magic of safe play is what motivates this industry – and compliance is a critical part of that quest,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association. “The U.S. mandates arguably the strictest standards and regulation worldwide, and it’s critically important that all industry representatives be knowledgeable regarding requirements so that companies can remain compliant, even as regulations and standards continually evolve.”
Safety Education Program
The Toy Association’s Safety Education Program is an online course designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of key state, federal, and international safety regulations and requirements impacting the toy industry. Toy industry veterans and others will conduct educational sessions on varied topics such as testing and certification, chemical regulations, and compliance-related country trade barriers.
The program consists of approximately six hours of curriculum presented in a webinar format and delivered via 11 modules of content – each roughly 30 minutes in length. The course material is easily web-accessible 24/7. After each module, participants will have to correctly answer questions about the content in order to move on to the next module. Following the successful completion of all 11 modules, participants will receive a certificate of completion from The Toy Association.
International Regulatory Database
The regulations database, available to Toy Association manufacturing members, contains consumer product requirements for countries and regions around the world, including Australia, Canada, European Union, Mexico, and the U.S. (including state level requirements).
The resource is available exclusively via Bureau Veritas’ OneSource™ platform and provides users with: instant access to product requirements by region/country and product category; real time maintenance of information; dedicated BV staff tracking and maintenance of content; update alerts; a quick reference to requirements for labeling, packaging, restricted substances/materials, and safety; and other features.
Pasierb added: “As a relentlessly member-focused association, we are dedicated to creating new value-added services and programs. These two innovative programs will help members remain at the forefront of safety education and compliance. We encourage members to take full advantage. Safety is – and must always be – our industry’s highest priority.”
For more information about The Toy Association’s Safety Education Program or the International Regulatory Database, including a special upcoming webinar designed to walk members through the two new services, contact Heather Easley, assistant manager of external affairs.