INDUSTRY FORUM TOY ASSOCIATION Toy Association’s Annual Seminar Provides

Crucial Updates on Toy Safety & Regulation

By Ed Desmond

Behind every beloved toy lies a complex web of safety considerations and regulatory compliance to navigate — and that’s where The Toy Association comes in to help. Our global government and regulatory affairs department works year-round to ensure playtime is fun and safe – and to educate our members on the ever-changing toy safety laws, standards, and regulations in place to protect kids and families at play.

As part of our unwavering dedication to safety education, the Association will host the annual “Legislation, Safety, & Compliance Update” during Toy Fair. The toy safety seminar will take place on Monday, October 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Hall 1E at the Javits Center in New York City.

This informative session has become a cornerstone event for industry professionals, offering insights into the latest developments shaping toy safety requirements, as well as the industry’s top state, federal, and international legislative and regulatory priorities. It will also provide an overview of the Association’s efforts to prevent passage of any harmful legislation or regulation. All industry stakeholders are encouraged to attend this free seminar, specifically quality assurance, product integrity, product safety, and regulatory affairs professionals, as well as toy inventors and designers, compliance officers, and legal team members.

Diverse topics are on the agenda for this year’s session, encompassing a wide spectrum of industry concerns, including state chemical laws, the global supply chain, children’s online safety, and several key international updates. A preview of some key topics to be discussed are as follows:

CPSC Keynote

Alexander Hoehn-Saric, chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), will take the stage as the keynote speaker at the toy safety seminar to address critical topics relevant to the toy industry. With a wealth of experience in both government and private sectors, including positions at the Department of Commerce and consumer protection committees in Congress, Chair Hoehn-Saric’s expertise and insights will provide valuable perspective on CPSC agency priorities and the direction of the agency under his leadership. The presentation will be followed by an interactive Q&A session with the audience.

Update to ASTM F963

The Toy Association’s Joan Lawrence, senior vice president of standards & regulatory affairs, and Jos Huxley, senior vice president of technical affairs, will brief the audience on upcoming revisions to ASTM F963 – Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety, the mandatory toy safety rules required by federal law. It is anticipated that the revised standard will be published by ASTM International ahead of Toy Fair (and notified to CPSC as required under CPSIA1), so this session will provide an important overview of the expected changes and a look ahead for toy safety.

Safety Education Program Relaunch

We’re excited to announce that we will introduce a refreshed Safety Education Program, which is free for all Toy Association members. The program is designed to provide participants with everything they need to know about staying compliant with their products, even as regulations and standards change, in an easy-toaccess online and on-demand format. More information will be announced at the toy safety seminar.

The “Legislation, Safety, & Compliance Update” is open to all Toy Fair participants and will take place Monday, October 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Hall 1E at the Javits Center. The seminar is sponsored by SGS North America, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, TUV Rheinland, and Unitec Laboratory Services. The presentation will be available on The Toy Association’s website in the coming days.

Ed Desmond is Executive Vice President of External Affairs at the Toy Association. He can be reached at edesmond@toyassociation.org.

It’s what’s inside that counts. But when it comes to toys, the outside matters quite a bit too, says Matt Nuccio.