prEN 71-1

Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties prEN 71-1

Publication date:   Oct 17, 2024

Scope

This European Standard specifies requirements and methods of tests for mechanical and physical properties of toys.
This European Standard applies to toys for children, toys being any product or material designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children of less than 14 years. It refers to new toys taking into account the period of foreseeable and normal use, and that the toys are used as intended or in a foreseeable way, bearing in mind the behaviour of children.
It includes specific requirements for toys intended for children under 36 months, children under 18 months and for children who are too young to sit up unaided. According to Directive 2009/48/EC (Toy Safety Directive) [21] "intended for use by" means that a parent or supervisor shall reasonably be able to assume by virtue of the functions, dimensions and characteristics of a toy that it is intended for use by children of the stated age group. For example, soft-filled toys with simple features intended for holding and cuddling are considered as intended for use by children under 36 months.
NOTE Information relating to the age grading and age determination of toys can be found in CEN ISO/TR 8124-8 [22] and the European Commission’s Guidance Documents on the Toy Safety Directive.
This European Standard also specifies requirements for packaging, marking and labelling.
This European Standard does not cover musical instruments, sports equipment or similar items but does include their toy counterparts.
This European Standard does not apply to the following toys:
- automatic playing machines, whether coin operated or not, intended for public use;
- toy vehicles equipped with combustion engines (see A.2);
- toy steam engines;
- toy slings and toy catapults, supplied without projectiles;
- remote control flying toys incorporating rotor blade(s) which are capable of spinning approximately horizontally, each blade being greater than 175 mm in length, measured from the centre of rotation to the blade tip, and with an overall mass of the flying toy greater than 50 g.
Toy slings and toy catapults supplied with projectiles are covered by this standard.
This European Standard does not cover electrical safety aspects of toys which are covered by EN IEC 62115.
Furthermore, it does not cover the following items which, for the purpose of this European Standard, are not considered as toys:
a) decorative objects for festivities and celebrations;
b) products for collectors, provided that the product or its packaging bears a visible and legible indication that it is intended for collectors of 14 years of age and above; examples of this category are:
1) detailed and faithful scale models (see A.2);
2) kits for the assembly of detailed scale models;
3) folk dolls and decorative dolls and other similar articles;
4) historical replicas of toys;
5) reproductions of real fire arms;
c) sports equipment including roller skates, inline skates, and skateboards intended for children with a body mass of more than 20 kg;
d) bicycles with a maximum saddle height of more than 435 mm, measured as the vertical distance from the ground to the top of the seat surface, with the seat in a horizontal position and with the seat pillar set to the minimum insertion mark;
e) scooters and other means of transport designed for sport or which are intended to be used for travel on public roads or public pathways;
f) electrically driven vehicles which are intended to be used for travel on public roads, public pathways, or the pavement thereof;
g) aquatic equipment intended to be used in deep water, and swimming learning devices for children, such as swim seats and swimming aids;
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