Section 104(b)(1) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires the CPSC to promulgate rulemaking for durable infant or toddler products. CPSC published a final rule in the Federal Register (84 FR 28205) which codifies the regulation for stationary activity centers at 16 CFR part 1238 and incorporates by reference ASTM F2012; the incorporation may or may not include modifications by CPSC. 16 CFR § 1238.2 identifies the latest Commission-accepted version of ASTM F2012 that is mandatory as well as any potential modifications. See the “Previous Versions of the Standard” section below for effective dates.
A “stationary activity center” is a “freestanding product intended to remain stationary that enables a sitting or standing occupant whose torso is completely surrounded by the product to walk, rock, play, spin or bounce, or all of these, within a limited range of motion”.
The requirements for stationary activity centers are as follows:
- General requirements
- Hazardous sharp points and edges – see also 16 C.F.R. §§ 1500.3(b)(4)(i)(D) and 1500.3(b)(15)(i)(A)
- Small parts – see also our small parts business guidance page
- Wood parts
- Latching or locking mechanisms
- Openings
- Scissoring, shearing, and pinching
- Labeling
- Toys – any toy accessories must meet the applicable requirements for children’s toys
- Protective components
- Spring supported stationary activity center
- Performance requirements
- Structural integrity
- Leg openings
- Stability
- Motion resistance for open base stationary activity centers
Read-only copies of ASTM standards that are incorporated by reference can be viewed at ASTM’s electronic Reading Room.
Labeling
Per 16 CFR § 1130.4, the following information must be permanently affixed to durable infant or toddler products in English:
- Name of manufacturer or importer
- Contact information (must include US address and phone number, toll-free if available)
- Model name/number
- Product identification number may be used as an identifying feature instead
- Date of manufacture
- Date must be at least month and year, and it can be stated in code form
This labeling requirement is in addition to the tracking label requirement for children’s products. This page summarizes the labeling requirements for durable infant or toddler products.
Registration Form
Product registration forms are required for all durable infant and toddler products to enable the manufacturer or retailer of the product to contact consumers with recall or other safety information. For more information, visit our registration forms business guidance page.
Previous Versions of the Standard
15 U.S.C. § 2056a(b)(4)(B) requires the CPSC to evaluate any updates to an incorporated ASTM standard for durable infant or toddler products to determine whether the revised standard improves the safety of the product. Firms must ensure that the product is tested to the Commission-accepted version of ASTM F2012 depending on its date of manufacture:
| Manufactured after... | Must meet... |
|---|---|
| December 18, 2019 | ASTM F2012-18ε1 |
Certification
Section 14(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) requires manufacturers and importers of children’s products subject to a regulation, standard, or ban enforced by the CPSC to certify that those products meet the requirements of the standard by issuing a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC). For stationary activity centers, the citation to use in section 2 of the CPC is “16 CFR part 1238 – Stationary activity centers”.
For more information on certification, visit our CPC business guidance page.
Additional Information
- Stationary activity centers FAQs
- Durable infant or toddler product business guidance page
- Registration forms business guidance page
Contact
- SBO contact form
- Toll-free: (888) 531-9070
- Email: SBO@cpsc.gov