Upcoming Webinars: All About a U.S. Labeling Requirement & UK’s New Post-Brexit Standard

September 9, 2022 | The Toy Association is alerting members to two upcoming webinars that will provide guidance on requirements for children’s products sold in the U.S. and the UK.

Toy professionals are encouraged to learn about safety requirements for imported art materials in an upcoming Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) webinar on September 15. The session will provide an overview of compliance requirements, importing procedures, and the Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act (LHAMA), which is incorporated into the ASTM F963 toy safety standard and applies to certain children’s products such as crayons, markers, paints, and modeling clay. The webinar will also include a live Q&A. Registration is free and open to the public.

Toy manufacturers and distributors are also advised to attend a September 28 webinar hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce that will discuss the new mandatory UK conformity assessment mark (“UKCA”) for all products sold in Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland). The post-Brexit standard takes effect January 1, 2023 and must be used in addition to the EU-mandated “CE” mark if the products are also sold in the EU. (A separate special mark is required in some cases for Northern Ireland.)

The session will feature spokespersons from the UK government and UK trade associations who will speak about the new certification requirement, when and how to use the UKCA mark, rules for usage, technical documentation and record keeping, alternative options, and compliance mechanisms. Registration details can be found here. The cost is $50 to attend.

“It is important for our members to have the most up-to-date information about requirements both at home and abroad, to ensure compliance and to prevent complications as they bring products to market,” said Jos Huxley, senior vice president of technical affairs at The Toy Association.

Members may reach out to The Toy Association’s Jos Huxley with any questions on these topics.