CPSC Proposes New Safety Standard for Children's Booster Seats

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is proposing a new mandatory safety standard for children’s booster seats used for eating or feeding, it said (here). The proposed rule would incorporate into CPSC’s regulations the most recent voluntary industry standard for booster seats developed by ASTM International, ASTM F2640-17, "Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Booster Seats," without any changes. The commission would set the effective date one year from the date it finalizes the standard. Comments are due Aug. 4.

Currently, ASTM F2640-17 defines a “booster seat” as “a juvenile chair, which is placed on an adult chair to elevate a child to standard dining table height. The booster seat is made for the purpose of containing a child, up to 5 years of age, and normally for the purposes of feeding or eating. A booster seat may be height adjustable and include a reclined position.” Booster seats may be constructed from a wide variety of materials, including wood, plastic, fabric, metal or foam, CPSC said. Most booster seats have removable trays to be used as an alternative eating surface. The ASTM standard covers combination products like high chair booster seat combinations when they are in their booster seat configuration.

The standard does not have an exemption for booster seats designed for use in restaurants because these booster seats can be purchased directly by consumers, CPSC said. “There is no exclusion for food-service booster seats and ASTM subcommittee members have stated in several subcommittee meetings that food-service booster seats are included in the standard,” it said. The standard does not cover car booster seats, which are also sometimes referred to as “booster seats.”

(Federal Register 05/19/17)