ISO 8124-5, “Safety of toys – Part 5: Determination of total concentration of certain elements in toys,” has just been released. This new addition to the ISO 8124 series on toy safety will help designers and manufacturers decide if they need to do additional migration testing on their products. It contains a list of various “restricted elements” and shows you how to confirm that the concentration levels of each is at or below the levels as set out in ISO 8124-3, “Safety of toys Part 3: Migration of certain elements.”
What are the restricted elements identified in ISO 8124-5? They are antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and selenium. Acceptable levels of each are defined for toy materials in general and for finger paint and modeling clay in particular.
Are tests included in ISO 8124-5? Yes, you will get general instructions on the use of reagents and the apparatus needed for testing as well as the selection and preparation of test portions. The tests involved provide information on the digestion of these test portions. Instrumental analysis of the results is also included.
What will I do with the information generated by these tests? ISO 8124-5 provides you with information on the expression of the results as well as how to write up your test report. This helps you determine if further testing is required. You can also use this data when you find that there are jurisdictional differences in laws and regulations. For example, there may be additional restrictions on the total concentration of lead in toy materials in some areas.
You can read more on the background and rationale for ISO 8124-5 in Annex A. And a 5-item bibliography completes this 22 page standard.
Now you’ll want to get a copy. All ISO standards are provided in paper format and for pdf download from Document Center Inc., an authorized dealer of the ISO publications. Order at our webstore, www.document-center.com, or use this link to go to the ISO 8124-5 order page. And if you’re interested in multi-user subscription access, we have that too! Contact our staff for more information by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). We’ve been selling standards since 1982. Make us your Standards Experts!
