Bean bags

Under the mandatory standard, a bean bag is a material sack encasing a large quantity of polystyrene foam beads. Usually a bean bag is a classic pyramid-shaped sack used for seating. The mandatory standard also covers other household products containing polystyrene foam beads.

Examples of such items include:

• aqua bean bags for swimming pools 
• baby bed bean bags
• chairs
• cushions
• lounges
• footstools
• futon mattresses
• novelty cushions for children 
• nursing and therapeutic pillows, pillows, cushions
• pet beds
• pillows
• stable tables.

On this page:

• Hazards
• Mandatory standard
• Does this apply to your business?
• Complying with the ban
• Penalties and consequences
• Some key requirements
• Design and construction
• Safety markings

Hazards

Suffocation

Children may crawl inside a bean bag cover and suffocate when their breathing is restricted by the bag and its contents.

Choking

Children, particularly those aged less than three years, may inhale the polystyrene beads contained in bean bags. Bean bag fillings have been associated with a number of chokings.

Mandatory standard

The Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standards) Regulations 1979 prescribes requirements for this mandatory standard.

The mandatory standard came into effect on on 1 December 2004.

Does this apply to your business?

Under the ACL supply includes:

• in relation to goods - (including re-supply) by way of sale, exchange, lease, hire or hire-purchase and
• in relation to services - provide, grant of confer. 

This mandatory standard applies to anyone in the business of supplying bean bags, including:

• manufacturers
• importers
• distributors
• retailers
• hirers.

To allow for staggered implementation, there are some cases where a mandatory standard or ban prescribes different compliance dates for the manufacturing, importing and supply of a product. Manufacturers, importers and distributors should check for this detail in the mandatory standard before embarking on production, importation or distribution of these goods.

Complying with the ban

For complete information about the mandatory requirements for bean bags, we strongly advise you to read the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standards) Regulations 1979.

Penalties and consequences

Suppliers can face heavy fines and product recalls if they supply bean bags that do not meet the mandatory standard.  For more details, view Penalties and consequences.

Some key requirements

The requirements below are key requirements only.  They may help to give suppliers a general idea of the detail they must look up in the regulations.  This information may also assist consumers when they are choosing bean bags.

While we provide some advice on this page to help you understand aspects of the standard you can visually check, suppliers must not rely on this information as a complete guide to compliance.

Design and construction

All openings of a bean bag and bean bag cover from which you can insert or remove filling must be fitted with a child-resistant slide fastener. This is usually a zip with its tag removed, which locks into place to prevent easy opening.

Safety markings

• All bean bags, bean bag covers packaging and filling must have a warning label of notice.
• The warning must be conspicuous and fixed securely, or stamped on the item.
• The word ‘WARNING’ must appear in red and upper-case lettering on a white background, at least 5 mm high.
• The remaining words must appear in title case. The upper-case letters need to be at least 5 mm high.
• An example of a warning label is as follows:
  
  
• The bag lining must come with labels, even if it is fully enclosed. This is because lining covers may be changed and the warning still needs to be present.