CEN Publishes Technical Report on Safety of Children’s Clothing to Prevent Mechanical Hazards

HONG KONG, China - Feb. 23, 2015 - PRLog -- CEN Technical Report on Mechanical Hazards and Safety of Children’s Clothing

Readers will be aware of the recent SafeGuardS concerning the update of EN 14682 to the 2014 version (1). Alongside this, CEN has published a Technical Report (equivalent to a BSI Code of Practice) for manufacturers, recommending methods of making children’s garments avoiding certain hazards that may pose a risk to the wearer’s safety. The new Technical Report is based on the previously published BSI Code of good practice under the reference “BS 7907”. Those readers who are familiar with BS 7907:2007 will have no trouble familiarizing themselves with the new Technical Report because the similarities are very strong. New readers will find excellent guidance to help them understand the possible pitfalls and to avoid unnecessary complaints and delays in production.

Recommendations for the Design and Manufacture of Children’s Clothing

The new Technical Report provides a comprehensive coverage of the possible problem areas with recommendations for materials, assembly techniques, accessory types and test methods to assure the manufacturer that their products will be acceptable to a discerning client base and conform with the demands of today’s safety conscious consumer. The whole production process is covered from design through to packaging and display.

The Technical Report covers such areas as:

- Ischaemic Injury
- Entrapment of the penis in zip fasteners
- Injuries from sharp objects
- Choking and aspiration
- Swallowing harmful objects
- Magnets
- Strangulation and entrapment
- Slipping, tripping and falling
- Restriction of vision and hearing
- Suffocation

General Product Safety Directive and Risk Assessment for Children’s Clothing

The Technical report addresses the need for Risk Assessment under the General Product Safety Directive and gives advice concerning the choice of materials including fillings, sewing threads and attachments. It also gives recommended minimum attachment strength values.

Sound advice is provided concerning sharp objects such as needles, pins and staples as well as small hand tools to align with the factory’s needle and metal control policy and suggests in line process controls to give assurance for uniformity and security of attachment of fasteners and embellishments.

Reference:

Safety of Children’s Clothing - Cords and Drawstrings, SGS Safeguards #015/15 (http://newsletter.sgs.com/eNewsletterPro/uploadedimages/0...) – January 2015

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