Safety of toys — Flammability

What this standard covers and how we test it

EN 71-2 limits how quickly a toy can burn. The danger is not the flame itself but a child holding a burning toy, so the standard defines categories by how the toy is used: toys worn on the head, toys a child can enter, soft-filled toys, and everything else. Each category has its own specimen size, ignition source and burn-rate limit.

What we measure:

• Burning rate for toys worn on the head, with a defined maximum in mm/s
• Surface flash and burn time for soft-filled and plush toys
• Self-extinguishing behaviour of toys the child can enter
• Labelling requirements, and the material list behind the category choice

A material that passes in thick sections often fails as thin film or pile fabric, which is why we ask for production material samples rather than moulded coupons. The report names each tested material and colour combination - the first thing market surveillance checks.

We normally test EN 71-2 together with EU 2009/48/EC: one sample set, one set of test dates, and a single report pack that the declaration of conformity can reference.