BPMA News – Not to be toyed with

A BPMA compliance seminar by SGS explained the importance of taking toy safety seriously.

The BPMA teamed up with SGS to organise a Product Safety and Compliance Seminar on 16 October at SGS’s testing facility in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. Sanda Stefanovic, an industrial design engineer with in-depth expertise in toys and an active member of Europe’s Toy Standardisation Committee, CEN, covered the EU legal requirements surrounding toy promotional products. The speakers provided an overview of the European toy regulations with a specific focus on how they apply to our industry and where the main areas of risk lie.

Stefanovic also shared details of a number of specific recalls that have taken place and discussed when a promotional product technically becomes a toy, due to a bespoke shaped element, the usage, target market, play value or simply the attractiveness of the logo to a child.

Another topic was the General Product Safety Directive and how risk assessments work, and how they can be carried out to determine your own areas of risk. Prior to the lab tour, there was an examination of how quality and performance of products, while often second to safety, are still of vital importance. Ensuring products are of a necessary level of quality and that they perform as expected should not be overlooked and it can be managed with relative ease. Product compliance is far-reaching so the BPMA will be organising further events and will announce these in due course. SGS is a member benefit provider. Please contact the BPMA if you would like information regarding this benefit.