Section 104(b)(1) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires the CPSC to promulgate rulemaking for durable infant or toddler products. Implementing that Congressional instruction, CPSC published in the Federal Register (81 FR 17062) a final rule codifies the regulation for portable hook-on chairs at 16 C.F.R. part 1233 and incorporates by reference ASTM F1235 with any modifications by CPSC. 16 C.F.R. § 1233.2 identifies the latest Commission-accepted version of ASTM F1235 that is mandatory as well as any modifications. See the “Previous Versions of the Standard” section below for effective dates.
A portable hook-on chair is a seat made expressly to seat and hold children who can sit up on their own. A portable hook-on chair is usually a legless seat, designed to position the occupant at a table and at an elevation allowing the tabletop to be used as the feeding surface for the occupant. The hook-on chair is supported solely by the table on which it is mounted. These chairs are intended for use by children from age 6 months to 36 months, and who weigh no more than 37 lbs. (16.8 kg).
Typical hook-on chairs consist of fabric over a lightweight frame, with a device to mount the seat to a support surface, such as a table or counter. Some hook-on chairs fold for easy storage or transport, and some include a removable tray that can be used in conjunction with a table.
The requirements for portable hook-on chairs are as follows:
- General requirements
- Sharp points and edges – see also 16 C.F.R. §§ 1500.3(b)(4)(i)(D) and 1500.3(b)(15)(i)(A)
- Small parts – see also our small parts business guidance page
- Paint and surface coating– see also our lead in paint business guidance page
- Wood parts
- Latching or locking mechanisms
- Scissoring, shearing, and pinching
- Exposed coil springs
- Openings
- Labeling
- Protective components
- Performance requirements
- Chair dop test
- Static load test
- Seat and seat back disengagement test
- Chair bounce test
- Chair pull/push test
- Restraint system
- Openings and passive crotch restraint system
Read-only copies of ASTM standards that are incorporated by reference can be viewed at ASTM’s electronic Reading Room.
Labeling
Per 16 C.F.R. § 1130.4, the following information must be permanently affixed to durable infant or toddler products in English:
- Name of manufacturer or importer
- Contact information (must include US address and phone number, toll-free if available)
- Model name/number
- Product identification number may be used as an identifying feature instead
- Date of manufacture
- Date must be at least month and year, and it can be stated in code form
This labeling requirement is in addition to the tracking label requirement for children’s products. This page summarizes the labeling requirements for durable infant or toddler products.
Registration Form
Product registration forms are required for all durable infant and toddler products to enable the manufacturer or retailer of the product to contact consumers with recall or other safety information. For more information, visit our registration forms business guidance page.
Previous Version of the Standard
15 U.S.C. § 2056a(b)(4)(B) requires the CPSC to evaluate any updates to an incorporated ASTM standard for durable infant or toddler products to determine whether the revised standard improves the safety of the product. Firms must ensure that the product is tested to the Commission-accepted version of ASTM F1235 depending on its date of manufacture:
| Manufactured after... | Must meet... |
|---|---|
| January 15, 2019 | ASTM F1235-18 |
| September 28, 2016 | ASTM F1235-15 |
Certification
Section 14(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) requires manufacturers and importers of children’s products subject to a regulation, standard, or ban enforced by the CPSC to certify that those products meet the requirements of the standard by issuing a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC). For portable hook-on chairs, the citation to use in section 2 of the CPC is “16 CFR part 1233 — Portable hook-on chairs”.
For more information on certification, visit our CPC business guidance page.
Additional Information
- Portable hook-on chairs FAQs
- Durable infant or toddler product business guidance page
- Registration forms business guidance page
Contact
For more information, please contact the Small Business Ombudsman (SBO) team:
- SBO contact form
- Toll-free: (888) 531-9070
- Email: SBO@cpsc.gov