Safety childcare articles and children’s clothing

‘Childcare articles’ is used to refer to a wide range of product types, from prams and pushchairs to soothers and from baby bouncers to drinking equipment

‘Children’s clothing’ means clothing specifically intended to be worn by children under the age of 14 years.

Children are vulnerable consumers, therefore, the protection of their health and safety is of utmost importance. Examples of common risks are set out below, however, manufacturers must carry out an assessment of the product that covers all relevant risks that may be associated with it and take actions to mitigate these where possible.

• Mechanical/physical risks – for example – Small parts can cause choking in children under the age of 36 months and long cords can cause strangulation if they exceed the permitted length.
• Chemical risks – for example – dangerous chemicals can cause short- and long- term adverse health effects if they exceed allowed limits.
• Thermal risks – for example – hot surfaces can cause burns.
• Hygiene risks – for example – microbiological or other contamination of materials from which the product is made can cause irritation and infections.

Specific examples of measures taken against dangerous childcare articles and children’s clothing offered for sale in the European Union are available on the Safety Gate website.

In relation to childcare articles and children’s clothing, the main EU legislation is the General Product Safety Directive also known as the GPSD.

There are no product specific laws covering childcare articles and children’s clothing and, therefore, they are covered by the GPSD.

GPSD requires all products to be safe and is broken down into 3 key areas regarding safety and risk that can assist manufacturers of childcare articles and children’s clothing to ensure that only safe products are manufactured:

• normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use
• no risk or only the minimum risk compatible with the product’s use
• with a high level of protection for consumers