The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a consumer product safety standard to improve the safety of neck floats, an aquatic toy intended for use by children up to and including four years of age. The new federal mandatory standardis aimed atpreventing deaths and injuries to infants from drowning. The vote was 2 to 0.
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Neck floats are typically ring-shaped tubes with discontinuous ends that wrap around a child's neck. This placement is intended to allow the child's head to float above the water while supporting their body. As is the case with other aquatic toys, this design is intended to allow the child to float and play in water and is intended for use by children up to and including four years of age.
The new standard aims to prevent drowning related injury or death associated with use of neck floats from the following hazards:
— Children slipping through the product for reasons associated with inflation, which includes deflation andunderinflation;
— Children slipping through the product for reasons not associated with inflation;
— Children slipping through the product due to a restraint system failure; and
— Children submerging in water without slipping through the product.
The new rule will require toy neck floats to meet the new CPSC mandatory safety standard. The Commission is adding performance requirements; and revising labeling requirements including mandating warnings on products and instructional literature. The rule takes effect 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Life-saving flotation devices regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard, including those that attach to the neck of a user, are excluded from this rule.
CPSC has received reports of 115 incidents involving neck floats, including two reports of infant deaths and two hospitalization injuries, between January 2019 and January 2024 associated with neck floats. In many of the non-fatal incidents, drowning appears to have been averted due to quick action by a caregiver to rescue the infant.Where reported, victims' ages ranged from 17 days to 12 months old.
“Neck floats have always been a suspect product, offering caregivers a false sense of security,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman. “This rule is consistent with CPSC's mandate to protect the most vulnerable and gives us stronger tools to combat drowning – the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4.”
Even partial slip-throughs can be fatal, and drowning can be quick and silent. While using neck floats, CPSC advises caregivers to:
— Always stay within arm's reach of the child and maintain eye contact to make sure their mouth and nose remain above the water.
— Follow the age and weight limits stated on the product.
— For products with inflatable components, follow the manufacturer's guidance to properly inflate the product and verify that there are no leaks every time it is used.
Visit CPSC's Pool Safely website for more information to keep your family safe in and around water.
Note:Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.
About the U.S. CPSC The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
For lifesaving information:
— VisitCPSC.gov.
— Sign up to receive oure-mail alerts.
— Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, BlueSky, Threads, LinkedIn and Truth Social.
— Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury onwww.SaferProducts.gov.
— CallCPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 800-638-8270).
— Contact amedia specialist.
Release Number: 25-442
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SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
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