ISO/TS 24929-4:2026

Overview

ISO/TS 24929-4, titled Child Care Articles – General Safety – Part 4: Thermal Hazards, is an international technical specification developed by ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 310. Scheduled for publication in 2025, this standard addresses the thermal safety aspects critical to child care products. Its primary aim is to guide manufacturers, regulators, and child safety professionals in identifying and mitigating risks related to thermal hazards, thereby enhancing the safety and well-being of children using these articles.

The standard focuses on thermal hazards including flammability, contact with hot or cold surfaces and liquids, exposure to flames, and risks associated with abnormal body temperatures (hyperthermia and hypothermia). It offers both requirements and practical recommendations for testing, design, labeling, and product information disclosure concerning thermal safety to protect infants and young children.

Key Topics

• Thermal Hazards Definition: Hazards arising from extremes of temperature impacting child care articles.

• Flammability and Burning:

  • Standards for material flammability reference ISO 8124-2:2023, which governs flame spread rates and prohibits surface flash for pile textiles.
  • Prohibits use of volatile and highly flammable materials such as celluloid and flammable gases or liquids in child care products.
  • Emphasizes slow flame propagation rates to allow removal of the child if ignition occurs.

• Hot and Cold Surface Contact:

  • Addresses the risk of burns or frostbite from touching surfaces that are excessively hot or cold.
  • Recognizes children’s limited ability to react to thermal contact, especially infants under 24 months, necessitating protective designs or warnings.

• Hot and Cold Liquids or Food:

  • Warns of scald risks from hot liquids or foods accessible to children, recommending appropriate safety information on products.

• Contact with Flames:

  • Stipulates protective measures on products intended to prevent child access to open flames.

• Hyperthermia and Hypothermia Risks:

  • Highlights risks of overheating-linked to sudden infant death syndrome-and overcooling due to environmental exposures or thermal insulation by bedding, clothing, or the product itself.
  • Requires clear warnings to caregivers about these temperature-related hazards.

• Safety Philosophy:

  • Supports a chemical-free approach, avoiding flame retardants due to their potential chemical hazards.
  • Encourages selecting inherent flame-resistant materials or design features rather than relying on additive flame retardants.

Applications

ISO/TS 24929-4 is essential for the design, manufacturing, testing, and certification of a wide range of child care articles such as:

• Baby seats, strollers, and carriers
• Feeding bottles and accessories
• Bedding and sleep environment products
• Protective covers and barriers to heat sources
• Child garments and textiles with potential thermal concerns

This technical specification helps manufacturers ensure compliance with global safety expectations while enabling regulators to establish consistent requirements. Childcare product designers can integrate this guidance early in development to minimize thermal risks, avoid hazardous materials, and provide clear safety information.

Safety assessors and testing laboratories will use ISO/TS 24929-4 to establish criteria for thermal hazard tests aligned with ISO 8124-2 fire safety measures and IEC ergonomics guidance.

Related Standards

• ISO 8124-2:2023 – Safety of Toys – Part 2: Flammability
  Governs flammability testing procedures and limits, directly referenced for flame spread and surface flash tests.

• ISO 13732-1 – Ergonomics of the Thermal Environment – Methods for Assessment of Human Response to Surfaces
  Provides temperature limits and assessment methods for heated surfaces relevant in evaluating child care articles.

• IEC Guide 117:2010 – Temperatures of Touchable Hot Surfaces
  Offers guidance on hot surface temperatures to prevent burns, supporting temperature limit recommendations.

These related documents complement ISO/TS 24929-4 by providing detailed testing protocols and ergonomic data essential for comprehensive thermal hazard evaluation in child care articles.

Keywords: child care safety, thermal hazards, flammability, child safety standards, burns prevention, hot surface safety, cold surface safety, hyperthermia, hypothermia, ISO 24929-4, child care products, thermal risk management, toy flammability standard, safety warnings, product safety testing.