COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Trade Practices Act 1974

Consumer Protection Notice No. 4 of 2008

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY STANDARD FOR CHILDREN’S PORTABLE FOLDING COTS

I, Christopher Bowen, pursuant to subsection 65E (1) of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and for the purposes of section 65C of that Act, hereby DECLARE that from 1 March 2009 the consumer product safety standard for children’s portable folding cots is the standard approved by Standards Australia specified in Division 1 of the Schedule, as varied by Division 2 of the Schedule.

THE SCHEDULE

Division 1: The Standard

Australian Standard AS/NZS 2195:1999, Folding Cots – Safety requirements, published by Standards Australia on 15 November 1999.

Division 2: Variations

AS/NZS 2195:1999 is varied by

            (i)            Deleting the second paragraph of the Foreword.

          (ii)            In Clause 1 Scope, deleting all text after the first sentence;

         (iii)            Deleting clause 2 Application;

        (iv)            Deleting clause 3 Referenced Documents;

          (v)            Deleting clause 5 Timber Folding Cots;

        (vi)            Deleting clause 6 Materials entirely;

       (vii)            In clause 7 Construction and Assembly deleting all text after the heading and substituting a new paragraph as follows:
“The cot mattress and components within the cot shall not be of inflatable construction.”;

     (viii)            In clause 8.1 Dimensions, deleting the Note in subclause (b), deleting in subclause (d) the words “on warning labels specified in Clauses 12.1(i), 12.2 and 13.2(b) (measured horizontally)” and deleting Note 2;

        (ix)            In clause 8.3 Mattress and base, deleting the Note in subclause (a), deleting subclause (b) and deleting the Note in subclause (c);

          (x)            In clause 8.4.1 delete the words, “distinct locking position” and substitute the words, “clearly distinct locked position”;

        (xi)            Deleting clause 8.4.2 Folding mechanism design and Figure 1;

       (xii)            In clause 8.4.3(e) deleting all text after the word “mechanism”, including the Note;

     (xiii)            Deleting clause 8.5 Castors, glides or wheels;

     (xiv)            Deleting clause 8.6 Protrusions and gaps;

      (xv)            Deleting clause 8.7 Sharp edges and sharp points entirely;

     (xvi)            Deleting clause 9 Labels or Transfers;

   (xvii)            Deleting clause 10.1 General and substituting a new clause 10.1 as follows:
“10.1 General  The applicable tests specified in clauses 10.2, 10.5, 10.13 and 10.14 shall be performed on the same folding cot assembled in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and without any accessories fitted.”;

  (xviii)            Deleting clause 10.2 Entrapment hazard test entirely and substituting a new clause 10.2 as follows:
“10.2  Entrapment hazard test  The folding cot shall be tested in accordance with Appendix A using the 95 mm probe. All gaps accessible within the folding cot shall not allow the 95 mm probe to pass through.”;

     (xix)            Deleting clauses 10.3 Stability test, 10.4 Strength test, 10.6 Impact test, 10.7 Strength of frame and fastenings – fatigue test, 10.8 Strength of frame and fastenings – Vertical static load test, 10.9 Locking mechanism test, 10.10 Detachable parts test, 10.11 Bite test, 10.12 Mesh test, 10.15 Folding cots with accessories, and 10.16 Protrusions and gaps test;

      (xx)            In clause 10.13(c) delete “500 mm” and replace with “400 mm”;

     (xxi)            Deleting clause 11 Plastic Packaging entirely;

   (xxii)            Deleting clause 12 Informative Labelling entirely;

  (xxiii)            Deleting clause 13.1 General entirely;

 (xxiv)            Deleting clause 13.2 Safety marking entirely and substituting a new clause 13.2 as follows:
“13.2 Safety marking
The cot shall be permanently, prominently and legibly marked on the inside of the cot with at least:
(a) Instructions for assembly and locking procedures;
(b) A warning to check before each use that the cot is correctly assembled and locking devices are fully engaged;
(c) Either a warning to use a mattress of specified dimensions or a warning to use the mattress supplied by the manufacturer; and
(d) A warning not to add an extra mattress as this may cause suffocation.”;

   (xxv)            Deleting clauses 13.3 Legibility of marking and 13.4 Durability of marking;

 (xxvi)            In Appendix A section A1 deleting the words, “finger, limb and”;

(xxvii)            In Appendix A section A2 deleting the words, “A series of probes are”, and substituting the words, “A probe is”, deleting the subsequent word “probes” and substituting the word “probe”, and deleting Notes 1 and 2;

(xxviii)            In Appendix A, deleting section A3 Apparatus entirely and substituting a new section A3 as follows:
“A3  APPARATUS  The following apparatus is required:
(a) A spherical probe made of a suitable rigid material having a diameter of 95 ±0.5 mm. The probe may be mounted on a rod of diameter not greater than 15 mm for the purpose of applying the specified force.
(b) A means of applying a force of 50 ±5 N.”;

 (xxix)            In Appendix A section A4 Procedure deleting subsections (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), (n) and (o);

   (xxx)            In Appendix A section A5 Report deleting subsections (b), (c), and (d);

 (xxxi)            Deleting Appendices B Strength Test, D Impact Test, E Strength of Frame and Fastenings – Fatigue Test, F Strength of Frame and Fastenings – Vertical Load Test, G Locking Mechanism Test, H Detachable Parts Test, I Bite Test, J Mesh Test, M Accidental Dislodgment Test for an Accessory, and N Protrusions and Gaps Test.

Dated this 19th day of February 2008

Chris Bowen
Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs