US CPSC Issues Final Rule for Infant Support Cushions

SafeGuardSToys and Juvenile ProductsNovember 14, 2024

SG 161/24

US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has published final rule 16 CFR 1243 to establish a consumer product safety standard for infant support cushions.

On November 4, 2024, the CPSC published a final rule, 16 CFR 1243, to establish a consumer product safety standard for infant support cushions aimed at mitigating the risk of death and injury linked to use of these cushions, particularly due to suffocation, entrapment and fall hazards. The rule will become effective on May 5, 2025.

The rule defines infant support cushion as: “an infant product that is filled with or comprised of resilient material such as foam, fibrous batting, or granular material or with a gel, liquid, or gas, and which is marketed, designed, or intended to support an infant's weight or any portion of an infant while reclining or in a supine, prone, or recumbent position. This definition includes any removable covers, or slipcovers, sold on or together with an infant support cushion.”

The requirements in the final rule include:

General requirements:

Hazardous sharp edges or points
Small parts
Lead in paints
Toys
Removal of components
Permanency of labeling and warnings
Convertible products

Performance Requirements:

Restraint
Seam strength
Bounded openings
Maximum incline angle
Firmness
Sidewall angle

Marking and labeling requirements
Instructional literature requirements

This final rule does not change the existing ban on infant cushions, 16 CFR 1500.18(a)(16), that is limited to products with the specific hazard presented by loosely filled granular material such as polystyrene beads or pellets, and those products will continue to be banned under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA).

16 CFR 1130 is also updated to include infant support cushions as durable infant or toddler products that require consumer registration. Safety standard for infant support cushions is also to be included in 16 CFR 1112 that list children’s product safety rules for which CPSC has issued a notice of requirements (NORs).

Final rule 16 CFR 1243.

Childcare equipment and children’s furniture must meet strict safety, quality and performance requirements. With a global network of experts and laboratories, SGS can address the testing, inspection, risk assessment and technical documentation requirements for products, as well as conduct factory and social audits to ensure your supply chain is compliant too. Contact us for more information or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

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