Toys containing magnets

The mandatory standard prescribes requirements for the design, construction and warning information for children’s toys containing magnets.

About the mandatory standard

The mandatory standard applies to toys that are supplied:

  • new and are designed or clearly intended for use in play by a child under 14 years of age
  • with one or more magnets or magnetic components.

Exclusions

The mandatory standard excludes:

  • sporting goods
  • camping goods
  • bicycles
  • home and public playground equipment
  • trampolines
  • electronic game units
  • models powered by combustion or steam engines
  • fashion jewellery.

Mandatory standard

The Consumer Goods (Toys Containing Magnets) Safety Standard 2020 sets out the mandatory requirements for children’s toys containing magnets. These requirements are intended to reduce the risk of serious injury or death to children from swallowing small hazardous magnets.

Toys containing magnets must comply with the relevant sections of one of the following standards:

  1. Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS ISO 8124.1:2019 Safety of toys Part 1: Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties
  2. European Standard EN 71-1:2014+A1:2018 Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties
  3. International Standard ISO 8124-1:2018 Safety of toys – Part 1: Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties
  4. US Standard ASTM F963 - 17 Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety.

These standards can be purchased from the SAI Global, Techstreet or ISO websites.

The ACCC can make a copy of these standards available for viewing at one of its offices, subject to licensing conditions.

Key requirements

This information aims 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, and should refer to the Consumer Goods (Toys Containing Magnets) Safety Standard 2020 for the full requirements.

Design and construction

The mandatory standard sets design and construction requirements to prevent a child from gaining access to small hazardous magnets. This includes testing to ensure a hazardous magnet will not separate from the toy during play.

The mandatory standard limits the supply of toys with loose small high powered magnets to only magnetic/electrical experimental sets intended for children eight years and over.

Warning requirements

The mandatory standard prescribes warning requirements to accompany magnetic/electrical experimental sets intended for children eight years and over with loose small high powered magnets. These warnings alert parents and carers to the risk of swallowing small hazardous magnets.

More information is available in the Explanatory Statement on the Federal Register of Legislation website.

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