ASTM International has published a new standard, ASTM F2951, Consumer Safety Specification for Baby Monitors, in response to a report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that seven deaths have resulted from infants strangling in monitor cords when the cord has been placed too close to a crib.

ASTM F2951 was developed by Subcommittee F15.68 on Baby Monitors, part of ASTM International Committee F15 on Consumer Products.

According to F15.68 chairman Anthony Paolo, audio, video and motion monitor manufacturers, as well as retailers and consumers, will all benefit from ASTM F2951.

“All cords must now be labeled with a conspicuous strangulation hazard warning label to remind caregivers that children have strangled in cords and to mount the cord more than three feet away from the crib,” says Paolo, vice president, corporate quality, Summer Infant Inc.

Paolo believes that the subcommittee considers ASTM F2951 “a baseline standard that can be built on for years to come.” The ASTM F2951 task group is formulating further requirements to be added to the standard in future revisions. All interested parties are invited to join in the ongoing process.

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ASTM Committee F15 Next Meeting: Oct. 22-26, 2012, Juvenile Products Subcommittees, ASTM Headquarters, West Conshohocken, PA.
Technical Contact: Anthony Paolo, Summer Infant Inc., Woonsocket, R.I., Phone: 401-671-6589; tpaolo@summerinfant.com
ASTM Staff Contact: Leonard Morrissey, Phone: 610-832-9719; lmorrissey@astm.org
ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org

Release #9215