SGS France Gains Approval to Issue Type Examination Certificates as per the French Decree 91-1292

Oct. 18, 2012 - PRLog -- Childcare articles are sensitive products

The French Decree relating to the prevention of risks arising from the use of childcare articles was developed in 1990s when there were just a few internationally recognized standards available to cover all products distributed on the market. For those products without any dedicated standard, or with additional functions not covered by any standard, article 4 of the Decree requires a type examination procedure in order to meet the safety requirements given in the Annex.

At the very beginning only two testing institutes were approved by the authorities to test against these French regulated requirements.Over the last 20 years, many European standards for juvenile products and childcare articles have been developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and published by the French Ministry to give presumption of conformity to the French Decree. Products fully covered by these standards do not need to be submitted to a type examination under the French Decree any longer.

However, some uncommon products (or functions) are still not covered by existing standards. Therefore, the French regulation requires type examination testing for example for:

- Bathing aids.
- Booster seats (until prEN 16120 is published).
- Infant swings (until prEN 16232 is published).
- Children’s cots, when they are convertible into junior beds, and junior beds intended for children less than 4 years.
- Some accessories designed for childcare articles.

In August 2008, SGS UK became the first laboratory outside France to be approved to issue type examination documents.Since its accreditation on September 6, 2012, SGS France is also authorized to conduct type examination testing on childcare articles when applicable, to deliver the corresponding type examination reports and certificates for compliance to the safety requirements of the French Decree.

With its two labs (Aix en Provence and Bradford) offering comprehensive testing capabilities against EU standards and the French Decree, SGS can now offer a one stop full service to the juvenile products industry (http://www.sgs.com/en/Consumer-Goods-Retail/Toys-and-Juvenile-Products.aspx).

For further information about SGS Juvenile Products Services, please contact the SGS experts.

Contact details:

SGS Consumer Testing Services
Aude Caplet
International Sales Manager, SGS France
+33 1 41 24 89 97

Myriam Jovelet
Technical Expert, SGS France
+33 4 42 61 64 56

Catherine Follin-Arbelet
Global Expert, SGS France
+33 4 42 61 64 57

Melvyn Wolff
Technical Manager, SGS UK
+44 1274 367994

Email: cts.media@sgs.com
Website: http://www.sgs.com/pages/consumer-testing/sgs-consumer-goods-and-retail.aspx

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With 70,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,350 offices and laboratories around the world.