What is a Mandatory Standard?
Information coming soon.
Infant Sleep Products Safety Standard Amendment
The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, the Hon. Stephen Jones MP, amended the Consumer Goods (Infant Sleep Products) Safety Standard 2024 (the ‘Safety Standard’).
Section 6 was amended to replace the incorrectly referenced United States ASTM standard with the correct United States CPSC standard. Section 17 was also amended to reference the United States CPSC standard.
The mattress gap requirements described at section 18 of the safety standard was amended to provide a distinction between the gaps allowed for household cots and the requirement for mattresses for all other infant sleep products to fit snugly with no gaps.
The small parts requirements described at section 27 of the safety standard was amended to reference the dimensions of the small parts cylinder commonly used by test-houses. Section 27 was also amended to specify that the relevant small parts are those which can be liberated without the use of a tool.
The ACCC undertook targeted consultations with key stakeholders regarding the proposed amendments. The Amendment has been prepared taking stakeholder feedback into account.
The Safety Standard was introduced on 18 July 2024 and suppliers were required to comply with the Safety Standard from 19 February 2026.
Further information is available on the ACCC Product Safety website, the Legislative Instrument and in the Explanatory Statement.
New Infant Product Safety and Information Standards
The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, the Hon. Stephen Jones MP, has made new safety and information standards for infant sleep products and inclined non-sleep products. These standards have been introduced to reduce the risk of death and injury to infants.
- The Consumer Goods (Infant Sleep Products) Safety Standard 2024, and
- The Consumer Goods (Infant Products) Information Standard 2024.
The new safety standard applies to all infant sleep products including products such as rockers, bassinets, household cots and folding cots. It establishes requirements to address hazards relating to incline, rigidity and curvature of the sleep surface. It also provides that no sleep product can have an inclined sleep surface greater than seven degrees. The new safety standard incorporates requirements from the repealed mandatory standards for household cots and folding cots.
The new information standard applies to infant sleep products as well as inclined non-sleep products. It requires the provision of safety information and warnings to ensure parents are better informed of safe sleep practices and the hazards associated with infant sleep products.
The new standards were introduced on 18/07/2024 and provide a period of 18 months for suppliers to comply with their new obligations. From 19/01/2026 suppliers must comply with the new standards.
From 19/01/2026 suppliers of folding cots and household cots must comply with the new safety standard. This gives them the option of continuing to comply with the repealed mandatory standards up until 18/01/2026.
Further information is available on the PSA website, the Legislative Instruments and in the Explanatory Statements.
The purpose of a mandatory standard is to make particular safety or information features on products compulsory for legal supply of the product into the Australian market. It is an offence to supply goods that do not comply with mandatory standards.
For full details of the mandatory standards click here to go to the Product Safety website
Mandatory Toy Standards
Mandatory standards for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age was last updated on 5 September 2023 and prescribes requirements for the design and construction of toys for children up to and including 36 months of age.
The mandatory standard was created to reduce the chances of small parts releasing or coming off toys during play or after reasonable wear and tear, helping to prevent choking, suffocation, or death.
