EN 71-1:2005/FprA9

Overview

EN 71-1:2005/FprA9 is a draft amendment published by CEN that updates Part 1 of the EN 71 series (Safety of toys - Mechanical and physical properties). The amendment addresses a set of editorial and safety-focused modifications, with specific attention to the treatment of suction cups on projectiles intended for children over 36 months. This document supports essential requirements of EC Directive(s) and is provided for the unique acceptance procedure.

Key Topics

• Definition change (3.15): The amendment expands the definition to explicitly include material intended to be wholly contained within a soft-filled toy or within soft-filled parts of a toy, clarifying scope for manufacturers and testers.
• Glass elements (4.5): A new point requires that glass elements (for example, glass beads) must not expose hazardous sharp edges or points after being subjected to the drop test (8.5) and impact test (8.7). Cross-references include sharpness clauses (8.11 and 8.12).
• Stuffed components (5.1): The amendment confirms that tightly packed, stuffed components made of fabric and/or yarn remain subject to the general requirements of clause 5.1.
• Dimensional wording (5.12): Text is replaced to refer to minor and major inner dimensions rather than outer diameters, improving clarity for component sizing and compliance checks.
• Test references (8.5, 8.7): Headings for the drop test and impact test are updated to include a reference to clause 4.5 and other related clauses, formalizing the test linkage for elements such as suction-cup projectiles.

Applications

This amendment has practical implications for several stakeholders:

• Toy manufacturers and designers: Must review product designs that include suction-cup projectiles and soft-filled toy components to ensure compliance with clarified definitions and test interactions.
• Testing laboratories: Should update test plans to reflect the new cross-references and to verify that glass elements and projectile components do not create accessible sharp edges or points after defined tests.
• Product safety managers and regulators: Can use the clarified wording to assess age-appropriateness (notably for children over 36 months) and evaluate choking and injury hazards posed by suction-cup projectiles.

Key benefits include clearer interpretation of mechanical/physical requirements, better alignment between component definitions and test procedures, and reduced ambiguity during conformity assessment.

Related Standards

• EN 71 series (general), with EN 71-1:2005 as the base for mechanical and physical criteria.
• Annex ZA (informative) in EN 71-1, which explains the relationship with EC Directive(s) and conformity obligations.

For manufacturers and conformity assessors, reviewing EN 71-1:2005 together with draft amendment FprA9 is recommended to ensure implementation of the clarified requirements for suction-cup projectiles and related components.