Toy Safety
Bicycles, tricycles, roller skates, trucks and cars, dolls, teddy bears and balls are amongst our children
favorite toys. But, there weren't few the cases where the toy bought from a shop did not contain the age
specific warnings or wasn't labelled according the law. These infringements are addressed by
Governmental Decision 74/2011 regarding toy safety and transposing Directive 2009/48/EC.
Requirements to ensure toy conformity
General safety requirements
Toys can be placed on the market only if they do not jeopardize the safety of children when used
in conformity with their destination or when used in a predictable way, according children's behavior.
Are admitted to be placed on the market toys respecting special safety requirements and bearing the
CE marking.
CE marking shows that in the manufacturing process the
requirements regarding toy conformity have been respected.
CE marking must be inscribed in a visible way, easy to
read and hard to erase on the toy's label, the attached flyer
or the packing and may be accompanied by a pictogram or
any other sign indicating a special risk or special use.
Special safety requirements
When placed on the market the toys must respect not only
the general safety requirements, but also the special ones regarding:
· physical and mechanical properties;
· flammability;
· chemical properties;
· electrical properties;
· hygiene;
· radioactivity.
Regarding the physical and chemical properties, toys and their parts must have mechanical
resistance and the necessary stability to resist during their use, without being destroyed or
deformed and provoke wounds.
Toys and their components must not be a wound, strangling, asphyxiation, swallowing or inhaling
danger.
It is important to underline the fact that toys must not be a flammable material dangerous for the
environment and child's safety must not contain substances or mixtures that can explode through
chemical reaction or heating, as they must not contain volatile components capable to make flammable
or explosive vapor mixtures.
From the point of view of chemical properties toys must be designed and manufactured in a way
that would not constitute a risk of negative effects on health, caused by chemical substances or
mixtures in the toys' composition.
Toys must not contain perfumes which are potential allergenic and prohibited by the law, for
example eelgrass oil, wormwood oil, benzyl cyanide, ethyl acrylate or citral. Some perfumes are
allowed for mass olfactive games, cosmetic kits and gustative games, under the condition these to be
clearly indicated on the packing and be accompanied by the warning „Contains perfumes that may
cause allergies.”
Special safety requirements are necessary also for electrical toys which must be designed and
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manufactured in a way that would guarantee that maximal temperatures of all directly accessible
surfaces do not yield burns when touched. Electrical toys must ensure an adequate protection against
fire risks.
No matter the type of the toy it is necessary the design and manufacture respect hygiene and
cleanliness requirements to avoid any danger of infection, sickness or contamination. A textile
toy must be washable, except the case where it contains a mechanism that could be deteriorated by
water. The toy must continue respect the safety requirement also after it was cleaned according
producer's instructions.
Labelling
Toys or their packing must have inscribed in a visible, easy to read and durable place the name
or headquarters of the manufacturer, CE marking and the safety warnings and instructions. In
the case of small toys or those composed of small parts, the above may be applied on the packing,
distinct label or documents which comes along with the product.
Warnings and indications of use
General warnings
In order to ensure a safe use warnings must mention the limits of an adequate use (minimum or
maximum age, aptitude of the person using the toy, minimum and maximum child's weight and
necessity to ensure the toy is used only under the surveillance of an adult) and must be preceded by
the words „Warning” or „Warnings”.
Warnings determining a decision to buy a toy, such as those specifying
the minimum and maximum age of the child and other warnings, must
be indicated either on the packing or must be clearly visible for the
user before acquisition, when the product is bought using electronic
means.
Warnings and safety instructions must be written in Romanian,
visible, easy to read and easy to understand.
Specific warnings
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toys which are not destined for children under the age of 36 months will have the warning
„Not recommended for children under 36 months” or „Not recommended for children
under 3 years”; these warnings must be accompanied by a short indication on specific dangers
determining this warning, which may be present in the use instructions;
activity toys will have the warning „Only to be use inside the house”; these must be
accompanied by instructions regarding the correct assembling way, indicating those parts that
can be a danger if incorrect assembled;
functional toys must have the warning „To be used under direct supervision of an adult”;
this type of toys must be accompanied by instructions containing also the safety measures the
user must take and must specify the warning that if these measures are not respected, the user
may be in danger, followed by a list;
chemical toys must have a warning on the danger represented by the substances or
mixtures in the toys or indications on the safety measures to be taken by the user to
avoid associated dangers, which must be mentioned based on the type of toy; also, it must be
mentioned the fact these toys must not be available for children under a certain age, specified by
the manufacturer – in this category are placed kits for chemical experiments, for plastic
wrapping, ceramics miniature workshops, enameling, photography and similar toys inducing a
similar substance modification during use;
skates, roller skates, skateboards, scooters and toy bicycles must have the following
warning „To be used with protection gear. Not to be used in traffic”; additional,
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recommendations regarding the protection gear will be given;
aquatic toys must have the following warning „To be used only in the water where the child
can stand and under the surveillance of an adult”;
toys in food products or mixed with a food product must have the warning „Contains a toy.
The surveillance of an adult is recommended”;
imitations of masks and protection helmets must have the warning „These toys do not
offer protection”;
toys destined to be suspended over a cradle, bunk or baby carriage with the help of
strings, cords, elastics or straps must have the warning „To avoid any risk of getting hurt
by strangling, remove this toy as soon as the child starts trying getting up on his hands
and knees”;
the packing of perfume mass olfactive games, cosmetic kits and gustative games will have
the following warning „Contains perfuming substances which can provoke allergies”.
List of products that, in particular, are not considered as toys:
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decorative objects for festivities and celebrations
products for collectors, provided that the product or its packaging bears a visible and legible
indication that it is intended for collectors of 14 years of age and above. Examples of this
category are: detailed and faithful scale models; kits for the assembly of detailed scale models;
folk dolls and decorative dolls and other similar articles; historical replicas of toys; and
reproductions of real fire arms.
sports equipment, including roller skates, inline skates, and skateboards intended for children
with a body mass of more than 20 kg
bicycles with a maximum saddle height of more than 435 mm, measured as the vertical distance
from the ground to the top of the seat surface, with the seat in a horizontal position and with the
seat pillar set to the minimum insertion mark
scooters and other means of transport designed for sport or which are intended to be used for
travel on public roads or public pathways
electrically driven vehicles which are intended to be used for travel on public roads, public
pathways, or the pavement thereof
aquatic equipment intended to be used in deep water, and swimming learning devices for
children, such as swim seats and swimming aids
puzzles with more than 500 pieces
guns and pistols using compressed gas, with the exception of water guns and water pistols, and
bows for archery over 120 cm long
fireworks, including percussion caps which are not specifically designed for toys
products and games using sharp-pointed missiles, such as sets of darts with metallic points
functional educational products, such as electric ovens, irons or other functional products
operated at a nominal voltage exceeding 24 volts which are sold exclusively for teaching
purposes under adult supervision
products intended for use for educational purposes in schools and other pedagogical contexts
under the surveillance of an adult instructor, such as science equipment
electronic equipment, such as personal computers and game consoles, used to access
interactive software and their associated peripherals, unless the electronic equipment or the
associated peripherals are specifically designed for and targeted at children and have a play
value on their own, such as specially designed personal computers, key boards, joy sticks or
steering wheels
interactive software, intended for leisure and entertainment, such as computer games, and their
storage media, such as CDs
babies' soothers
child-appealing luminaires
electrical transformers for toys
fashion accessories for children which are not for use in play
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Please find bellow some advices to be taken into account before and after buying a toy for your
child:
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choose the right toy for the age and development stage of your child;
choose only toys with CE marking;
verify and respect warnings and safety instructions indicated on the toy's label;
avoid small toys with detachable parts;
pay attention to safety instructions and keep them in a safe place to be able to read them on
another occasion;
remove the toy's packing and dispose of it;
keep toys in good shape and remove from the child broken or deteriorated toys;
observe the child when playing to avoid him being hurt;
verify the toys recalls, by accessing http://ec.europa.eu/rapex.
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European Consumer Centre Romania
Str. Maior Aviator Ștefan Sănătescu nr. 44
Et. 1, Ap. 2, Sector 1,
București, 011478
Tel/fax: +40.21.315.71.49
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.eccromania.ro
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https://twitter.com/eccromania/
Co-funded by
the European Union
This infosheet is part of the action 670709 - ECC-Net RO FPA which has
received funding under a grant for an ECC action from the European
Union’s Consumer Programme (2014-2020).
The content of this material represents the views of ECC Romania only and it is its sole responsibility; it
cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the Consumers, Health,
Agriculture and Food Executive Agency or any other body of the European Union. The European
Commission an the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it
contains.