Products the mandatory standard applies to
Freestanding household furniture can be dangerous if it falls or topples over.
Warnings and safety information must be provided when supplying these 3 categories of furniture.
Category 1
A clothing storage unit or bookcase with a height of 686 mm or more. A clothing storage unit is an item of furniture intended to primarily store clothes. It has one or more doors or drawers.
Category 2
Entertainment units of any height typically used for housing televisions, home theatre systems or gaming consoles.
Category 3
Hall tables, display cabinets, buffets, and sideboards with a height 686 mm or greater.
Products the mandatory standard does not apply to
The mandatory standard excludes:
- furniture that was bought by a consumer and is being resold
- second-hand furniture, including furniture that was previously bought and used commercially
- furniture designed to be fastened to a wall or other structure and that can’t be used unless it’s attached.
Complying with the mandatory standard
This information is an overview of how to comply with the mandatory standard. Suppliers must not rely on this information as a complete guide to compliance.
View the full detail of the mandatory standard.
Suppliers must warn consumers about the risk of toppling furniture by:
- attaching permanent warning labels to furniture covered by the mandatory standard
- displaying point of sale warnings, both instore and online
- including information about the risk of toppling furniture in any instruction manuals provided with storage furniture.
Labelling
Clear graphic and plain English warnings, and safety information must be provided with furniture and at point of sale.
Warnings must include internationally recognised safety alert symbols and pictograms showing a child standing or climbing on the toppling furniture, with a cross or strikethrough.
The strikethrough can be of any colour.
A pictogram showing furniture anchored to a wall is also recommended but not a requirement.
Point of sale warnings
A business that sells furniture online must include a warning about the risk of tip overs and the importance of anchoring with the description of the products.
A business that supplies furniture at a retail premises must display a clearly visible and prominent warning about the risk of tip overs and the importance of anchoring on or near the products.
This may be a hang or swing tag attached to the furniture, a placard placed near or on top of the furniture or a removable sticker attached to the furniture.
Attached warnings
A business that supplies furniture must display a clearly visible, prominent and legible warning about the risk of tip overs and the importance of anchoring on the furniture.
The warning must be an attached permanent and durable label that will last the lifetime of the product. It must be attached where it will be visible when the toppling furniture is empty.
For example a warning label attached to the inside of a door or drawer will be visible when that piece of furniture is empty.
Warnings in instructions
If a toppling furniture product is supplied with instructions, a warning about the risk of tip overs and the importance of anchoring must be included in the instructions. This includes assembly instructions.
When a product does not comply
Fines and penalties may apply for failure to comply with a mandatory safety or information standard. For more information, see fines and penalties.
Suppliers may need to recall a product when it doesn't meet the mandatory standard or is potentially unsafe.
