ASTM F963-96ae2 - 10.11.1996
 
1. Scope

1.1 This specification relates to possible hazards that may not be recognized readily by the public and that may be encountered in the normal use for which a toy is intended or after reasonably foreseeable abuse. It does not purport to cover every conceivable hazard of a particular toy. This specification does not cover product performance or quality, except as related to safety. Except for the labeling requirements pointing out the functional hazards and age range for which the toy is intended, this specification has no requirements for those aspects of a toy that present an inherent and recognized hazard as part of the function of the toy. Such an example is a sharp point necessary for the function of a needle. The needle is an inherent hazard that is well understood by the purchaser of a toy sewing kit, and this hazard is communicated to the user as part of the normal educational process.

1.2 On the other hand, while a riding toy has inherent hazards associated with its use (for example, falling off onto the sidewalk), the possible hazards associated with its construction (sharp edges, exposed mechanisms, etc.) will be minimized by the application of this specification.

1.3 This specification covers requirements and contains test methods for toys intended for use by children in age groups through 14 years. Different age limits for various requirements will be found in this specification. These limits reflect the nature of the hazards and expected mental or physical ability, or both, of a child to cope with the hazards.

1.4 Articles not covered by this specification are as follows:
Bicycles
Tricycles
Sling shots and sharp-pointed darts
Playground equipment
Non-powder guns
Kites
Hobby and craft items in which the finished item is notprimarily of play value
Model kits in which the finished item is not primarily of play value
Crayons, paints, chalks, and other similar art materials inwhich the material itself or the finished item is notprimarily of play value, except that all art materials,whether or not a component of a toy, must comply to LHAMA, in accordance with 4.31.1-4.31.3.
Sporting goods, camping goods, athletic equipment, mu-sical instruments, and furniture; however, toys that aretheir counterparts are covered. (It is recognized thatthere is often a fine line between, for example, a musicalinstrument or a sporting item and its toy counterpart. The intention of the producer or distributor, as well asnormal use and reasonably foreseeable abuse, deter-mines whether the item is a toy counterpart.)
Powered models of aircraft, rockets, boats, and landvehicles; however, toys that are their counterparts are covered.

1.5 General guidelines for age labeling toys and toy packaging are contained in Annex A1.

1.6 Information regarding packaging and shipping is contained in Annex A2. A table to serve as a guide to the requirements contained in this specification, as applicable to various toy categories, is provided in Annex A3.

1.7 This consumer safety specification includes the following sections:
Title Section
Scope1
Referenced Documents2
Terminology3
Safety Requirements4
Material Quality4.1
Flammability4.2
Toxicology4.3
Electrical/Thermal Energy4.4
Impulsive Noise4.5
Small Objects4.6
Accessible Edges4.7
Accessible Points4.8
Projections4.9
Nails and Fasteners4.10
Wires or Rods4.11
Packaging Film4.12
Cords and Elastics4.13
Wheels, Tires, and Axles4.14
Folding Mechanisms and Hinges4.15
Holes, Clearance, and Accessibility of Mechanisms4.16
Stability and Over-Load Requirements4.17
Confined Spaces4.18
Simulated Protective Devices4.19
Projectile Toys4.20
Rattles4.21
Pacifiers4.22
Squeeze Toys4.23
Teethers and Teething Toys4.24
Toys Intended to be Attached to a Crib
or Playpen4.25
Toy Chests4.26
Battery-Operated Toys4.27
Flotation Toys4.28
Stroller and Carriage Toys4.29
Stuffed and Beanbag-Type Toys4.30
Art Materials4.31
Toy Gun Marking4.32
Balloons4.33
Marbles4.34
Balls4.35
Preschool Play Figures4.36
Pompoms4.37
Safety Labeling Requirements5
Instructional Literature6
Producer's Markings7
Test Methods8
General8.1
Testing for Hazardous Substance Content8.2
Method to Dissolve Soluble Matter8.3
Tests for Cleanliness and Preservative Effectiveness8.4
Normal Use Testing8.5
Abuse Testing8.6
Impact Tests8.7
Torque Tests for Removal of Components8.8
Tension Test for Removal of Components8.9
Compression Test8.10
Tests for Tire Removal and Snap-in Wheel and
Axle Assembly Removal8.11
Flexure Test8.12
Test for Mouth-Actuated Toys8.13
Tests for Toy Chest Lids and Closures8.14
Projectiles8.15
Test for Stability of Ride-On Toys8.16
Identification9
Age Grading GuidelinesAnnex A1
Packaging and ShippingAnnex A2
Requirements Guide by Toy CategoriesAnnex A3
Design Guidelines for Toys Attached to Cribs
or PlaypensAnnex A4
Flammability Testing Procedure for ToysAnnex A5

1.8 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

1.9 The following precautionary statement pertains only to the test methods portion, Section 7, of this specification: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

 
2. Referenced Documents

F2641-23

Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Recreational Powered Scooters and Pocket Bikes

D1193-06(2018)

Standard Specification for Reagent Water

F2923-20

Standard Specification for Consumer Product Safety for Children´s Jewelry

F2264-14(2019)

Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powered Scooters

D3421-75

Recommended Practice for Extraction and Determination of Plasticizer Mixtures from Vinyl Chloride Plastics (Withdrawn 1987)

D4236-94(2021)

Standard Practice for Labeling Art Materials for Chronic Health Hazards

D5276-19(2023)

Standard Test Method for Drop Test of Loaded Containers by Free Fall

F404-21

Standard Consumer Safety Specification for High Chairs

F406-22

Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Full-Size Baby Cribs/Play Yards

F1313-90(1999)

Standard Specification for Volatile N-Nitrosamine Levels in Rubber Nipples on Pacifiers

F1148-22

Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Home Playground Equipment

D2240-15(2021)

Standard Test Method for Rubber Property—Durometer Hardness

D374/D374M-23

Standard Test Methods for Thickness of Solid Electrical Insulation

D642-20

Standard Test Method for Determining Compressive Resistance of Shipping Containers, Components, and Unit Loads

D880-92(2021)

Standard Test Method for Impact Testing for Shipping Containers and Systems

D999-08(2023)

Standard Test Methods for Vibration Testing of Shipping Containers

F2853-10(2023)

Standard Test Method for Determination of Lead in Paint Layers and Similar Coatings or in Substrates and Homogenous Materials by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry Using Multiple Monochromatic Excitation Beams