Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Soft Infant and Toddler Carriers

1.1 This consumer safety specification establishes performance requirements, test methods and marking requirements to promote safe use of soft infant and toddler carriers.

1.2 This consumer safety specification is intended to minimize the risk of incidents to an infant from the normal use and reasonably foreseeable misuse of these products.

1.3 For purposes of definition, a soft infant and toddler carrier is a product, normally of sewn fabric construction, which is designed to contain a full term infant to a toddler, generally in an upright position, in close proximity to the caregiver. In general, the child will weigh between 7 and 45 lb (3.2 and 22 kg). The soft infant and toddler carrier is normally “worn” by the caregiver with a child positioned in the carrier and the weight of the child and carrier suspended from one or both shoulders of the caregiver. These products may be worn on the front, side, or back of the caregiver's body with the infant either facing towards or away from the caregiver. This consumer safety specification does not include products generally referred to as “slings.”

1.4 No soft infant and toddler carrier produced after the approval date of this consumer safety specification shall, either by label or other means, indicate compliance with the specification unless it complies with all of the requirements contained herein.

1.5 This consumer safety specification is not intended to address incidents and injuries resulting from the interaction of other persons or objects with the caregiver and infant while the soft carrier is in use.

1.6 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.

1.7 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the test method portion, Section 7 of this consumer safety specification. This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory requirements prior to use.