Tests according to international safety standards for childcare articles
The globalisation of the market for children’s products means adapting baby and childcare products to the idiosyncrasies of each market and, consequently, to the safety requirements applicable in each country.
That is why at AIJU we carry out safety tests for different international markets. For the United States, the AIJU laboratory is recognised by the CPSC for the testing of certain childcare articles.
We also carry out safety tests according to national regulations (NF, BS) of some European countries for certain childcare articles that are not standardised in Europe and whose standards are used as a reference in Europe.
Services related to international safety standards for childcare articles
Physical-mechanical safety tests simulate the conditions of continued use of the products, applying additional safety margins, and are performed to ensure that the products remain safe throughout their useful life.
We carry out chemical tests to determine that childcare articles are free of toxic substances that can be harmful to infants and young children, in line with international safety requirements.
We also check that the product and labelling information that accompanies these products contains all the information that is required to use the product safely.
AIJU is accredited by ENAC and recognised by the CPSC for the performance of safety tests according to American standards (ASTM). To carry out these tests, AIJU’s laboratory is equipped with all the necessary equipment: gauges simulating children’s body parts, universal tensile machines, tailor-made equipment, etc.
We also have equipment for chemical determinations:
- Gas chromatographers with mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS).
- Gas chromatographers with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID).
- Liquid chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection (LC-QTOF).
- High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array (HPLC-DAD) and fluorescence detection.
- Inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrophotometry (ICP-OES).
- Optical emission spectrophotometry with mass spectrometry detection (ICP-MS) with and without coupling with liquid chromatography.
- Ultraviolet-visible spectrometry.
Benefits of performing tests according to international safety standards for childcare articles
The existence of specific safety standards for certain countries and continents means that manufacturers of baby and childcare articles must make an extra effort to adapt their products to each market and carry out safety tests in accordance with the regulations and legislation applicable in each market.
AIJU’s experience in international legislation and regulations is a guarantee when it comes to performing safety tests in our laboratory, as we have first-hand knowledge of the latest regulations.
Performing safety tests at AIJU means that your products will be accepted because we are an ENAC accredited laboratory, recognised for the United States by the CPSC, and endorsed by the market surveillance authorities.
How we work in the AIJU laboratory
At AIJU we carry out safety tests for certain childcare and ancillary items according to regulations and legislation in force in the United States:
- Tests of non-full-size cots and play yards according to American standard ASTM F406 and Regulation 16 CFR part 1220.
- Tests on carriages and strollers according to American standard ASTM F833.
- Tests of bassinets and cradles according to American standard ASTM F2194 and Regulation 16CFR part 1218.
- Tests on play yards for domestic use according to American standard ASTM F406.
- Tests on pacifiers according to Regulation 16 CFR Part 1511.
We also carry out safety tests on children’s articles that may not be standardised at European level, but for which there are national regulations in certain European countries that can be used as a reference. This is the case of:
- Tests on bedguards according to British standard BS 7972.
- Bath thermometers according to French standard NF S 54-042.
- Rainproof covers according to French standard NF S 54-043.
Confidence
AIJU has more than 30 years’ experience in the performance of safety tests on baby and childcare articles. We are the first laboratory to be accredited by ENAC to perform tests on childcare articles. In addition, AIJU is the only laboratory in Spain that is recognised by the CPSC to perform safety tests on children’s products.
AIJU’s laboratory has specific facilities for testing baby and childcare products. These facilities are equipped with all the equipment required to carry out tests according to these international standards, for which we have had to adapt and/or acquire new equipment due to the lack of homogeneity of international standards.
