Monthly Roundup: Domestic and Commercial Equipment, Entertainment, and Sports Standards from October 2025

Looking back at October 2025, the Domestic and Commercial Equipment, Entertainment, and Sports sector (“ICS 97”) saw a substantial wave of new and revised standard publications. For professionals tasked with compliance, engineering, quality assurance, or procurement, keeping pace with standardization is key to reducing risk, fostering product reliability, and maintaining market access. In this installment (Part 2 of 4), we provide a retrospective analysis of five crucial standards published during this period. These encompass vital safety enhancements for fabric steamers, a sharpened focus on children’s toy safety (from trampolines to finger paints), and advanced methodologies for assessing static electricity in flooring products. Examining these standards together highlights not only technical evolution within discrete product categories but also broader regulatory currents and emerging industry priorities. This overview distills actionable insights and fosters a holistic understanding of current best practices—empowering professionals to stay abreast of both detail and direction in modern standardization.

Monthly Overview: October 2025

October 2025 witnessed a notably concentrated cluster of standards publications in the Domestic and Commercial Equipment, Entertainment, and Sports domain. Common threads included a drive toward updated product safety protocols, explicit alignment with evolving parent standards, and reinforced requirements for consumer and user protection. Particularly, standards dealing with appliances (e.g., fabric steamers) aligned closely with foundational documents, while new editions of toy safety standards addressed risk mitigation and clarified requirements for manufacturers and users alike. Flooring standards reflected increased attention to electrical properties in the context of modern modular designs.

Compared with preceding months, October 2025 stood out for:

• Major technical revisions of safety standards (not simple amendments)
• Expanded coverage for both consumer and semi-professional applications
• Enhanced harmonization with international base documents (such as IEC 60335-1:2020)
• Noteworthy emphasis on requirements for household and similar environments, but with explicit attention to professional contexts (e.g., shops, laundries)

Taken together, this month’s publications highlight a pronounced industry shift toward proactive risk management, greater inclusion of novel technologies (pressurized steamers, modular flooring), and a more stringent approach to child safety in products for domestic environments.

Standards Published This Month

IEC 60335-2-85:2022 - Safety for Fabric Steamers

Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 2-85: Particular requirements for fabric steamers

IEC 60335-2-85:2022, released in October 2025, sets forth detailed safety requirements for electric fabric steamers designed for household and similar use, operating at voltages up to 250V (including both direct current and battery-powered models). Beyond the home, it also applies to steamers used by laypersons in semi-commercial settings (e.g., shops, laundries, dry cleaners), recognizing that similar hazards exist in these environments.

This third edition constitutes a sweeping technical revision, superseding the 2002 second edition and its amendments. Updates include full alignment with IEC 60335-1:2020, conversion of certain notes to normative text for increased clarity, and a critical new focus on pressurized fabric steamers. The standard covers protections against diverse hazards: electric shock, fire, mechanical instability, and exposure to live parts, while also specifying requirements for marking, mechanical strength, and resistance to heat and moisture. Notably, it clarifies exclusions for devices such as irons, ironers, surface cleaners, and appliances intended for corrosive or explosive atmospheres.

Stakeholders including appliance designers, manufacturers, testing labs, and regulatory bodies must heed these requirements—especially when developing or marketing new or innovative product variants. For organizations previously certified under older editions, gap analysis will be essential to address new prescriptive elements, particularly where notes are now normative or pressurized systems are introduced.

Key highlights:

• Alignment with IEC 60335-1:2020 family standard
• Formalization of previously "note" requirements as enforceable clauses
• Clear inclusion of pressurized fabric steamers

Access the full standard:View IEC 60335-2-85:2022 on iTeh Standards

EN 71-14:2025 - Safety of Toys: Trampolines for Domestic Use

Safety of toys – Part 14: Trampolines for domestic use

EN 71-14:2025 offers a complete framework for the safety requirements and test methods of toy trampolines intended for domestic environments, including both outdoor and indoor models designed to be used by one individual at a time. The scope specifically excludes trampolines for gymnastic, playground, fitness, and medical use, along with inflatable and certain non-standard designs.

This new edition replaces EN 71-14:2018 and brings both structural and content revisions. It enhances mechanical safety (covering hazards such as pinching, crushing, and entrapment), clearly defines trampoline categories, and introduces stricter requirements for weather resistance and durability of materials. Provisions on marking, warnings, and assembly/maintenance instructions have also been refined, supporting consumer comprehension and correct product usage.

Manufacturers, importers, and retail distributors targeting the European market should adopt these new, clarified requirements to reduce accident risk—a concern underscored by persistent injury rates associated with home trampolines. Entities previously relying solely on EN 71-1:2014 or prior EN 71-14 versions must now revisit design and documentation obligations to address changed and expanded clauses, especially around access devices, padding, and strength testing.

Key highlights:

• Clearer requirements for pinching and crushing hazard prevention
• Revised marking and warning provisions, including on packaging and instructions
• Rationalized approach to categories and exemptions aligned to updated EN 71-1

Access the full standard:View EN 71-14:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 71-7:2025 - Safety of Toys: Finger Paints

Safety of toys – Part 7: Finger paints – Requirements and test methods

EN 71-7:2025 updates the established guidance for finger paint safety, introducing stricter controls and clarifications on ingredients, permissible substances, and labelling. The standard applies to finger paints exclusively, addressing chemical and physical aspects such as migration of hazardous elements, the prohibition of certain preservatives, constraints on the use of colourants and booster substances, and explicit pH requirements.

A vital revision for manufacturers, especially those concerned with compliance in the face of evolving EU directives (notably 2009/48/EC), this standard draws upon newer analytical techniques and harmonizes crossover requirements with other parts of EN 71, such as EN 71-3 (migration of elements) and EN 71-12 (N-nitrosamines). Changes from the previous 2014+A3:2020 edition include expanded definitions, the addition of requirements for booster substances, updates to test methods for pH and hazardous chemicals, and a revised list of allowed colourants and preservatives.

Product safety managers, compliance officers, and importers must ensure that both product formulation and packaging conform—a key factor in market access and reputational protection, given the particular vulnerabilities of child users.

Key highlights:

• Stricter constraints on ingredients and impurities
• Clarified and updated analytical test methods
• Added requirements for booster substances and labelling

Access the full standard:View EN 71-7:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 1815:2025 - Static Electrical Propensity of Modular and Laminate Floor Coverings

Resilient, modular mechanical locked floor coverings (MMF) and laminate floor coverings – Assessment of static electrical propensity

EN 1815:2025 specifies a method to determine the body voltage generated when a person wearing standardized footwear walks on a resilient, modular mechanical locked floor (MMF) or laminate covering. The unique feature of this standard is its provision for both laboratory and in situ testing. This directly addresses concerns about electrostatic discharge (ESD) in handling sensitive electronics or in environments where static electricity could compromise safety or product reliability.

Major updates from the 2016 version include new test principles (Methods A and B), addition of modular locked flooring to the scope, revised specifications for test pieces and environmental conditions, and expanded annexes covering the construction of standardized test sandals. The methodology measures “static electrical propensity,” with specific apparatus and procedures for controlled, repeatable quantification of body voltage.

Facility managers, flooring product manufacturers, architects, and quality professionals will find the clarified test procedures valuable. The standard is particularly pertinent for specifying flooring in data centers, healthcare, and electronic assembly, as well as in consumer environments where static-prone flooring surfaces are present.

Key highlights:

• Broader scope to include modular mechanical locked floor coverings
• Enhanced laboratory and field test protocols for static charge assessment
• New annexes detailing apparatus and procedures

Access the full standard:View EN 1815:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

October 2025’s standards reveal several cross-cutting themes:

• Child Safety in the Domestic Space: Both trampoline and finger paint standards demonstrate intensifying regulatory scrutiny around products designed for (and used by) children at home. There is a clear drift toward harmonizing technical and information-based controls (e.g., clearer labels, detailed user instructions) to mitigate everyday risks.
• Convergence of Safety and Usability: Appliance and flooring standards alike manage growing interaction between safety and functional use—whether addressing mixed-use appliances or the need for resilient, low-static floors in adaptable living and working environments.
• Alignment with Parent and International Standards: Direct references to, and harmonization with, foundational documents like IEC 60335-1:2020 underscore a push for uniformity and reduce patchwork compliance challenges, supporting smoother entry into global markets.
• Technical Rigor and Test Methodologies: New or heavily revised standards stress not only what must be done, but how measurements and validations should be conducted. This trend enhances consistency, supports product innovation, and gives assurance to buyers and regulators.
• Response to Evolving Use-Cases: Expansion into semi-professional or mixed-use scenarios (e.g., fabric steamers in commercial settings) and modular flooring for multipurpose spaces showcases a standards environment adapting to lifestyle and workforce trends.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

Organizations impacted by these standards should adopt a multi-pronged approach to compliance:

1. Conduct Gap Assessments: For revised standards (e.g., fabric steamers, trampolines, finger paints), compare existing designs and documentation against detailed new clauses—especially where previously informative guidance is now mandatory.
2. Prioritize High-Risk Categories: Products used by children or in safety-critical environments (appliances, toys, flooring for specialized spaces) should be at the top of review and redesign lists, given heightened scrutiny and liability risk.
3. Update Testing Protocols and Supplier Documentation: Technical revisions often demand new test methods or apparatus. Suppliers and contract manufacturers should be brought into the loop early to ensure material and process compliance.
4. Review Product Labels, Warnings, and Instructions: EN 71-14 and EN 71-7 notably revise language and placement requirements for warnings—failure to comply can preclude market access or invite recall.
5. Plan Transition Timelines: Most standards recommend a transition period (often 12-36 months). Stakeholders should map out implementation, certification, and potential product phase-out timelines accordingly.
6. Engage Third-Party Testing and Certification: Particularly for consumer and children’s products, use of accredited laboratories and certification bodies supports documented compliance, brand trust, and regulatory acceptance.

For resources and the latest documents, professionals are encouraged to consult the full standards on iTeh Standards, along with supporting guides and annexes apparent from each publication.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from October 2025

The standards published in October 2025 collectively raised the bar for safety, use-case clarity, and technical performance within the Domestic and Commercial Equipment, Entertainment, and Sports sector. Notable advances include the integration of explicit, enforceable safety requirements for fabric steamers, holistic safety coverage for toys (with attention to warnings and testing), and advanced methodologies for minimizing static risk in modern flooring.

Professionals are advised to:

• Closely review changes to safety and performance requirements in all affected product lines
• Communicate updates proactively across supply, R&D, and compliance teams
• Leverage iTeh Standards as a central source for accessing original documents and keeping track of replacements/revisions

Staying current with developments not only protects organizations against non-compliance and liability but fosters consumer trust and competitive differentiation in a marketplace increasingly focused on health, safety, and performance. We encourage all stakeholders to explore the full texts linked in this overview, assess organizational readiness, and embed the resulting best practices into their operational frameworks.