The mandatory standard covers requirements for safety marking and installation instructions for basketball rings and backboards.
About basketball rings
The mandatory safety standard was last updated on 19 December 2017.
Basketball rings are circular rings usually made of metal and attached to basketball backboards. The backboards are then generally attached to posts or other similar structures.
The mandatory safety standard applies to basketball rings and backboards, including portable basketball systems, that are of a kind likely to be used for domestic use.
The mandatory safety standard does not apply to toy basketball rings or backboards for toy basketball rings. A toy basketball ring is defined as 'a miniature basketball ring (with or without a backboard) that is not designed to be permanently fixed to a fixture'. Examples include but are not limited to toy basketball rings designed to be used with a miniature soft ball, basketball rings designed to be hung over internal doors or attached to internal doors by way of suction cups or similar temporary means, and miniature portable basketball systems intended for use by toddlers.
Mandatory standard
The Consumer Goods (Basketball Rings and Backboards) Safety Standard 2017 sets out the mandatory requirements for basketball rings and backboards.
Key requirements
The below requirements aim to give suppliers a general idea of what is required by the mandatory standard. Suppliers must not rely on this information as a complete guide to compliance. For full details of the requirements please refer to the Consumer Goods (Basketball Rings and Backboards) Safety Standard 2017.
Warning information to be provided with basketball rings and backboards
Warning and warning symbol
Basketball rings and backboards must be supplied with a written warning notice and a warning symbol.
Written warning
The written warning must contain the following words:
WARNING: IMPROPER INSTALLATION OR SWINGING ON THE RING MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH
The words must be:
- clearly legible
- in upper case red letters on a white background.
The word ‘WARNING’ must be in letters not less than 15 mm high. The remaining words must be in letters not less than 10 mm high.
Warning symbol
The following image is the required warning symbol (not to scale):
The warning symbol must:
- be in the form shown in the mandatory standard
- for the circle that is part of the graphic, have a diameter of not less than 120mm from outer edge to outer edge
- have a circle and diagonal line that forms part of the graphic in red and not less than 5mm in width
- have a human figure that is entirely black
- have a basketball ring and backboard outlined in black.
Placement of the written warning and warning symbol
If a ring or backboard is supplied in a package, the written warning and warning symbol must be marked on a conspicuous place on the packaging or on a label attached to the packaging.
If a ring or backboard is not supplied in a package, the written warning and warning symbol must be supplied in a conspicuous place on the ring or blackboard, or on a label or tag attached to the ring or blackboard.
Warning notice to be permanently marked on the front of a backboard
Backboards must be permanently marked with the following warning:
WARNING: SWINGING ON THE RING MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH
This warning must be:
- clearly legible
- in characters not less than 10mm high
- marked on the front of the backboard.
Safe installation instructions
This is a new requirement that is part of the Consumer Goods (Basketball Rings and Backboards) Safety Standard 2017. However, this requirement is not mandatory for basketball rings and backboards supplied as part of a portable basketball system.
A basketball ring or backboard must be supplied with information setting out safe installation instructions, the instructions must:
- give details of the supporting structure to which the ring or backboard is to be fixed
- give details of the hardware to be used to fix the ring or backboard to the supporting structure
- strongly warn against fixing the ring or backboard to brickwork
- include advice to consult a structural engineer if there is any doubt about the safety or stability of the installation.
