SAFEGUARDS SGS CONSUMER TESTING SERVICES
SOFTLINES NO. 089/08 NOVEMBER 2008
NEW FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR
CHILDREN’S NIGHTWEAR IN UK
New flammability performance requirements for children's nightwear introduced by the European standard: EN 14878 Textiles - Burning behaviour of children's nightwear - Specification, comes into effect in November 2008. EN 14878 is not legislation but it is a voluntary European standard.
Children's nightwear in the UK must However, those parts of EN 14878 that go beyond the requirements of the UK comply with the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations must be carried out to truly comply with the General product Safety Regulations 1985, and continue to do Regulations. so even after November. Some The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) affects all persons who requirements of BS EN 14878 are are involved as Producers or Distributors of products, in this case nightwear. less demanding than those in the UK Regulations; consequently the UK The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) affects all persons who was obliged to enter an “A are involved as Producers or Distributors of products, in this case nightwear. Deviation”, to state that the UK's The GPSR provides no specific requirement for determining safety or more onerous requirements remain "acceptable risk": it is the responsibility of the manufacturer, retailer, importer etc and must be followed. to decide. In general, a product is presumed to conform to the general safety requirement if: • it is in compliance with national legislation setting out specific safety requirements in order to be marketed in the UK (e.g. The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985), or
• it conforms to a voluntary national standard which gives effect to a European standard, the reference to which has been published in the Official Journal in accordance with Article 4 of the GPSD. It is worth noting that standard EN 14878 has not yet been referenced in the Official Journal.
In principle, it is recommended that the more onerous of the requirements of the UK Regulations and GPSR/BS EN 14878 should be applied to children's nightwear in order to meet the statutory requirements of both the GPSR and the UK Regulations. SOFTLINES NO. 08908 NOVEMBER 2008 P.2
Key Differences between the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 and BS EN 14878 Items The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations BS EN 14878 1985 Nightwear garments age range 3 months to 13 years and adults 6 months to 14 years Minimum size threshold babies Garment (under 3 month) - chest up to 6 months and up to a height of 68 cm circumference of 53cm and give no height limit
Maximum size threshold • nightdresses: chest measurement of the upper limit is defined by the height of 91cm and length of 122cm; the wearer, which is 182 cm and 176 cm for boys and girls respectively • dressing gown, bath robes and other similar garments: chest measurement of 97cm and sleeve measurement of 69cm Flammability test method BS 5722:1984 EN 1103 The test methods for assessing flammability performance BS EN 14878 are different and results therefore cannot be directly compared. Washing of test specimens washed, once for untreated sample and without any prior washing (except to twelve for sample treated with fire retardant assess durability of applied flame retardant finishes
Flammability performance • 300 mm trip thread not severed in less • Class A (Not pyjama): 520 mm trip requirement than 25 sec thread not severed in less than 15 sec & No surface flash • 600 mm trip thread not severed in less • Class B (Children’s pyjama): 520 mm than 50 sec trip thread not severed in less than 10 sec & No surface flash + Design features • Class C (Babies’ nightwear): Not tested and no requirements Flame test cover on threads and accepted a garment which is wholly made of all fibre types to be assessed trimmings and trimmed with a synthetic fabric that on the application of heat melts without decomposing, complies with the flammability performance requirements. Requirement for a toxicology Not included Included (which is required under the assessment of applied flame GPSR) retardant finishes Labelling Yes (mandatory) Yes (optional) “WARNING – Keep away from fire” in “LOW FLAMMABILITY TO BS 5722” red letters or/and Fabric class A, B, or C ‘KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE” EN 14878
Washing warning label Any nightwear which is treated with flame Not applicable retardant chemicals must carry a label with the words: 'DO NOT WASH AT MORE THAN 50 oC. CHECK SUITABILITY OF WASHING AGENT’ Requirements for Yes No advertisements for children's nightwear Second-hand garments Not applicable Applicable (which is required under the GPSR) SOFTLINES NO. 08908 NOVEMBER 2008 P.3
Design features and requirements
• Pyjama tops or jackets shall not have a lower hem circumference greater than the hip size it is designed to fit +20 %.
• Pyjama tops or jackets shall be designed to have a lower hem no more than 10 cm below the crotch.
• Pyjama trouser legs shall not be wider at the lower hem than at the knee.
• Where the sleeve is designed to finish below the elbow, the lower hem shall not have a circumference greater than 40 cm and at no point shall the circumference of the sleeve width be greater than 50 cm.
In order to comply with the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 and BS EN 14878 it is recommended that the following be adopted :
Category Of Intended Wearer UK Performance Requirements Labelling Text
Pyjamas
Birth up to (6 months) height 68 cm None KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE
Over 68 cm (6 months) and up to Meet BS EN 14878 EITHER KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE height: Class A Girls 176 cm (14 years) When tested to BS EN 1103 Boys 182 cm (14 years) • no surface flash flame
• 520 mm trip thread severed in not less than 15s
• no design limitations OR Class B When tested to BS EN 1103
• no surface flash flame • 520 mm trip thread severed in not less than 10s • with design limitations see EN 14878 clause 10
(To be continued) SOFTLINES NO. 08908 NOVEMBER 2008 P.4
(continued) Category Of Intended Wearer UK Performance Requirements Labelling Text
Night Dresses, Dressing Gowns Bath Robes (not cotton terry terry toweling) and similar garments
Birth up to 3 months None KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE
Over 3 months and over 68 cm (6 Meet UK regulations, BS 5722: when tested to BS KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE months) and up to height 5438 LOW FLAMMABILITY TO BS > Girls 176 cm (14 years) • 300 mm trip thread severed in not less than 25s 5722 and > Boys 182 cm (14 years) • 600 mm trip thread severed in not less than 50s
Bath Robes made of cotton terry toweling only
Birth up to 6 months None KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE
Over 68 cm (6 months) and up to Meet BS EN 14878 KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE height Class A Girls 176 cm (14 years) When tested to BS EN 1103 Boys 182 cm (14 years) • no surface flash flame
• 520 mm trip thread severed in not less than 15s
SGS can provide wide range of Flammability tests, please feel free to contact us.
SGS also offers SRS (Standards & Regulations Services) to help companies stay abreast of national and international product requirements and legislation related obligations. For further information, visit our website www.sgs.com/ regulatorycompliance.
© 2008 SGS. All rights reserved. This is a publication of SGS, except for 3rd parties’ contents submitted or licensed for use FOR ENQUIRIES: rd by SGS. SGS neither endorses nor disapproves said 3 parties contents. This publication is intended to provide technical Global Competences Support Centre: [email protected] information and shall not be considered an exhaustive Ruth Hon +852 2774 7148 [email protected] treatment of any subject treated. It is strictly educational and does not replace any legal requirements or applicable regulations. It is not intended to constitute consulting or Asia – Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2334 4481 Fax: +852 2144 7001 [email protected] professional advice. The information contained herein is provided “as is” and SGS does not warrant that it will be Australasia _ Perth. Tel: +61 (0) 3 9790 3418 Fax: +61 (0) 3 9701 0988 [email protected] error-free or will meet any particular criteria of performance or Europe – London —UK. Tel: +44(0) 20 8991 3410 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8991 3417 [email protected] quality. Do not quote or refer any information herein without Africa & Middle East – Turkey. Tel: +90 212 225 0024 Fax: +90 212 296 47 82 [email protected] SGS’s prior written consent. Americas – USA. Tel: +1 973 575 5252 Fax: +1 973 575 1193 [email protected]
www.sgs.com Global Competences Support Centre: [email protected] If you wish to unsubscribe to this technical bulletin, go here: Unsubscribe