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Health Canada Warns Industry About Teething Necklaces

SafeGuardSSeptember 07, 2018

Health Canada published a letter to industry to inform them about potential hazards and performance criteria for teething necklaces.

In August, Health Canada published a letter to industry warning them about the risks from teething necklaces. Teething necklaces worn by children younger than three years of age, may present strangulation hazards as they are worn around the neck and in case they break, any released small parts may present a choking or respiration hazard.

There is currently no specific regulation that addresses hazards related to teething necklaces. The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) has a general requirement prohibiting consumer products that are a “danger to human health and safety”.

Health Canada has concluded that teething necklaces worn by children under 3 years of age should meet the following listed four performance criteria. Health Canada states that meeting the performance criteria does not mean that the product is safe but failing to meet the criteria is a strong indicator that the product may pose a danger to human health or safety.

The four performance criteria are:

Hazard
Related Performance Criteria

Strangulation
  

1. ASTM F2923-14 Standard Specification for Consumer Product Safety for Children’s Jewelry
Section 13.1 - Breakaway Tension Test (The necklace must separate at a load below 22.2 N (5 lb) instead of the 66.6 N (15 lb) stated in section 13.1 of ASTM F2923-14)

and

2. ASTM F963-17 Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety Section 4.14.1.1 - Cords, Straps, and Elastics Containing a Breakaway Feature (Additionally the breakaway feature shall be capable of being reattached without altering the characteristics of the attachment. This to prevent caregivers to attach by alternate means, like a knot.)

Choking and Aspiration
  
3. Toys Regulations (SOR/2011-17) Section 7 - Small parts – (The necklace may not be a small part, nor release small parts after use and abuse testing. A force of 4.45 N is applied to assess weather small parts fit in the small parts cylinder)
Labelling
  

4. The following warning or its equivalent must appear on the product or its packaging in English and French:

WARNING! Strangulation hazard. Adult supervision required at all times. Always remove for sleep. 

MISE EN GARDE! Risque d’étranglement. La supervision d’un adulte est requise en tout temps. Toujours retirer pour dormir.

Products that do not meet the above performance criteria cannot be sold and are subject to compliance and enforcement actions.

Health Canada’s warning for consumers [1]

Health Canada letter to industry [2]

SGS is committed to providing information about development in regulations for consumer products as complimentary services. Through a global network of laboratories, SGS provides a wide range of services including physical/mechanical testing, analytical testing and consultancy work for technical and non-technical parameters applicable to a comprehensive range of consumer products. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.

For enquiries, please contact:

Sanda Stefanovic
Toy expert
t: +31 6 51542190

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