Toy Industry Association

Leaders of the Global Toy Industry Meet in Germany

The 35th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) was held in early June in Munich, Germany. Representatives of 21 national toy trade associations convened to focus on issues affecting the health and safety of children throughout the world, including international toy safety standards and a responsible attitude to advertising and marketing to children.

The U.S. Toy Industry Association (TIA) is a founding member of ICTI and manages it secretariat responsibilities.Arnold “Arnie” Rubin, CEO of Funrise, and member of the Advisory Committee to the TIA Board of Directors was unanimously elected as the new ICTI president for a three-year term beginning June 2009; TIA last held the role of president of ICTI in 2001.


Next Phases of New TIA Toy Safety Program Launch

Certification Bodies Apply for ANSI Accreditation On June 15, TIA and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) announced that applications for accreditation are now being accepted from product certification bodies who wish to participate in TIA’s new Toy Safety Certification ProgramSM. TIA created the TSCPSM to improve toy safety, help restore stakeholder confidence in toy products, and comply with new federal legislation that toys be tested by a qualified lab and certified that they meet rigorous national safety standards and regulations. The TSCP goes well beyond testing and compliance to encompass the entire product life cycle . . . including risk and hazard analysis at the design stage and an audit of factories during the manufacturing stage.

ANSI, coordinator of the U.S. standards and conformity assessment system and under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with TIA, is the exclusive third-party accreditor of TSCP certification bodies. Its accreditation program will operate according to requirements defined under the TSCP and guidelines established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

Program Requirements Updated
Though the accreditation of certification bodies is necessary before any companies can certify their toy products, companies that are interested in submitting their toy products for certification can prepare themselves by reviewing a complete set of TSCP program requirements. TIA published the latest edition of the requirements document on June 5 following their approval by the TSCP Technical Committee. Revisions include more detail regarding the credentials of design analysis assessors, the established and internationally recognized ISO 9001 as a starting base for factory process control evaluations and refinements to the testing section including recognition of in-process testing and third-party sampling.

TIA made the refinements based on feedback from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), consumer representatives, retailers, factories, third-party service providers, and toy companies of various sizes and making a wide range of products; additional refinements are expected from the new TSCP Oversight Council and the CPSC as the program is implemented.

For additional information, please visit the TSCP website or contact TSCP Technical Outreach Director Michael Perkins.


Safe Summer Play Tips from the Toy Industry Association

Kids of all ages are already starting to hit beaches, parks and backyards to enjoy the outdoor play that makes the warm days of summer so much fun. From gardening and building sets to sidewalk chalk and scooters, and from bubbles and water blasters to bicycles and skateboards, a broad range of outdoor toys will help to entertain the young and the young at heart.

As the season kicks into high gear, TIA offers parents a few toy-related tips to help promote a safe, active and fun summer:­

Pay close attention to the age appropriate guidelines on toy product packaging. Age labeling is a safety precaution and is based on children's developmental skills and ability at a given age – and the appropriateness of the toy for that age. Age labeling does not pertain to the intelligence of a child so you never want to select toys marked with an age older than the child's age.

Make adult supervision a crucial element of outdoor play.Children are quick and inquisitive. They should never be left alone near water sources (pools, inflatable kiddie pools, beaches, etc.) ... not even for a moment. Water toys should be kept out of sight or out of reach when not being used so children are not tempted to play in or near the water alone. TIA has also promoted the Safe Kids USA website as a great resource for outdoor play tips.

Buckle children up with helmets, knee pads and other protective gear. Buckling up is equally important for bicycles and other ride-on toys, including tricycles, scooters, skateboards and skates. Visit the CPSC website for tips on how to make sure helmets fit properly and comfortably so that kids will not take them off.

Keep young bodies protected from the sun and heat. Outdoor play areas should be covered to protect sensitive children’s skin from the sun’s intense rays. Children should wear hats, 100% UVA sunglasses, and a broad spectrum sunscreen (UVA and UVB Protection) when playing outdoors. Studies show that children do not always experience thirst before dehydration, so it is important that they drink plenty of fluids during and after play, even when they do not feel thirsty.

Organize and store toys to prevent slips, trips and falls.Large, plastic bins with lids are perfect for organizing and storing smaller toys; bins should be marked by name so that toys for children of differing ages can be easily separated. An outdoor shed should be set up with designated “parking” spaces near the door for bicycles and other ride-on toys; smaller items like skateboards and skates should be hung off ground-level or stored on shelves.

Toys"R"Us

Toys“R”Us, Inc. and Safe Kids Worldwide Partner to Offer Summer Safety Tips

To help parents and caregivers keep their kids safe, Toys“R”Us, Inc., has teamed up with Safe Kids Worldwide to create a list of important safety tips to help families prevent accidental injuries while enjoying the not-so-lazy days of summer.

These safety tips, which can be found on the Toys“R”Us, Inc. dedicated Safety microsite, include useful information about bike, scooter, skateboard, helmet, backyard, street, pool and water safety such as:

• Information about inspecting swing sets, bikes and other ride-on toys for deteriorating or faulty equipment;
• Guidelines to follow when choosing the right size bike and helmet for a particular child;
• Advice on teaching kids to obey the rules of the road when riding bikes, scooters and skateboards to stay out of harm’s way;
• Suggestions for protective gear to use with ride-on toys, flotation devices for kids who cannot swim, and safety signs to warn drivers of kids at play; and
• Tips for creating a safe environment when kids are in and around the pool.

Toys“R”Us, Inc. is proud to partner with Safe Kids Worldwide throughout the year to create comprehensive childhood safety campaigns to educate parents and caregivers about injury prevention. To review these and other injury prevention tips, as well as more information about product safety, please visit www.Toysrus.com/Safety

Toy Industry Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Adrienne Citrin, TIA
646.520.4863


Toy Industry Association Appoints Oversight Council for Toy Safety Certification Program

New York, NY May 12, 2009 – The Toy Industry Association, Inc. (TIA) announced today the appointment of an Oversight Council for a new program that will help to verify that toys entering the U.S. market comply with all relevant safety standards and regulations.

“This Council is unique because it brings together stakeholders with a broad range of skills and perspectives and a shared passion for enhancing toy safety,” said Elizabeth Borrelli, executive director of the Toy Safety Certification ProgramSM (TSCPSM). “We are honored that a former CPSC commissioner, a former president of UL, and a cross-section of well-respected product safety experts, engineers, and government and consumers representatives will be helping to shape the development, implementation, integrity and effectiveness of the TSCP.”

The Oversight Council will be responsible for a variety of tasks including monitoring the development, implementation and effectiveness of TSCP; proposing changes to the program to increase value to stakeholders; and reviewing and adopting reasonable recommended changes in the program relating to technical considerations. Its members will provide guidance as the program adapts to changes in the marketplace, ultimately making it easier to assure the safety of toys to consumers.

The TSCP was developed as a direct result of the toy recalls of 2007 and the resulting congressional hearings, political platforms, media coverage, and overall consumer concerns. TIA stepped forward to take a proactive stance in developing and promoting a program that would apply to toys that are produced for sale in the United States.

Development of the program began in August 2007 through a collaborative process that brought together representatives of toy companies, retailers, toy testers, factory auditors, government representatives, consumer groups and conformity assessment experts. The initiative was organized by TIA in partnership with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), coordinator of the U.S. voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment system.

Additional information about the Toy Safety Certification ProgramSM (TSCPSM) can be found online at http://www.toycertification.org/.

Members of the first TSCP Oversight Council include:

TOM CASTINO - Tom Castino is a former president and chief executive officer of Underwriters Laboratories (UL). During his 43-year career, he was responsible for promoting UL’s tremendous growth and expansion of its safety mission on a global scale.

ANNE CRAIGMYLE - Anne Craigmyle currently serves on the American Fireworks Standard Laboratory (AFSL) Standards Committee as its consumer representative. She is a mother with three boys ranging in ages from seven to thirteen.

CAROL G. DAWSON - Carol Dawson was Commissioner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from 1984 until 1993. Previously, she served as a deputy press secretary and as liaison to the White House for the U.S. Department of Energy.

GORDON GILLERMAN - Gordon Gillerman is conformity assessment advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) advising federal agencies and other stakeholders on standards and compliance policy, particularly in areas pertaining to federal needs.

MYUNG KANG-HUNEKE - Myung Kang-Huneke is the vice president and general counsel for Sesame Workshop where she oversees the legal and government affairs departments, serves as secretary to the Board of Trustees, and oversees Sesame Workshop’s Product Safety Assurance Program.

ALAN KAUFMAN - Alan Kaufman is vice president of quality assurance, safety, and compliance for Toys“R”Us, Inc., where he serves as a liaison with public and government oversight agencies on product safety issues and is a key member of the company’s Safety Leadership Council. He has more than 25 years of experience related to product safety and quality assurance.

ARTHUR KAZIANIS - Arthur Kazianis, senior vice president of global quality assurance at Hasbro, Inc., oversees the company’s product safety, quality and environmental and social responsibility programs. He is a career professional with experience in areas ranging from consumer product safety and design engineering to reliability and quality assurance.

KATHLEEN MCHUGH - Kathleen McHugh is president of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA). ASTRA represents more than 1,000 member manufacturers, retailers, sales reps, and affiliate businesses in the specialty toy industry. An association management professional, she served as its executive director until 2004. She was named president in 2008.

ARNOLD E. RUBIN - Arnie Rubin, president and chief executive officer of Funrise Toy Corporation, has more than forty years of leadership experience in the toy industry, including service as chairman of both the Toy Industry Association (2004-2006) and the Toy Industry Foundation (2006-2008).

BETH SCHOMMER - Beth Schommer, vice president of product safety and compliance for Wal-Mart, oversees regulatory safety standards, product recalls and product testing. She has held merchandising management responsibilities for the company in the United States and Europe.

JIM WALTER - Jim Walter, senior vice president and chief regulatory officer, global product integrity for Mattel, Inc., is responsible for worldwide product quality, safety and regulatory compliance. He is a member and former chair of the TIA Safety Standards and Technical Committee and chair of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) working group responsible for the international toy safety standard.


About TIA - TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for producers and importers of toys and youth entertainment products sold in North America, representing over 500 companies who account for approximately 85% of domestic toy sales. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety, including development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30 years ago and ongoing working with government, consumer advocates, industry and other stakeholders on ongoing programs to ensure safe play. To learn more about the Toy Safety Certification Program, please visit http://www.toycertification.org/ or visit TIA’s other websites: http://www.toyassociation.org/ or http://www.toyinfo.org/.

Britax

New Technology: Child Restraint Side Impact Cushions

Side impact crashes pose a serious threat to child safety and therefore make side impact protection a necessity for child seats. Twenty-five percent, 1 in 4 crashes, occur from the side, injuries are more severe in side impact crashes, 30% of fatalities are a result of side impact crashes and vehicle side air curtains are designed to protect adults, not children. (Source: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

As a tech, you know that injuries occur when crash force energy comes in contact with your child. Energy cannot be destroyed; it can only be managed or diverted away from your child. Crash forces originating from a side impact crash have the potential of being more severe because:

• The lack of a “crumple zone” between your child and the vehicle door resulting in direct impact of the oncoming vehicle.
• Contact with any intruding objects such as the car door, glass, metal shards, etc.
• Acceleration of the body as the car comes to a sudden halt; a quick change in speed is what causes injury to the body.
  

Side Impact Cushion Technology is comprised of air-filled, energy-management cushions on either side of the child seat that protect both the child and any adjacent passengers in the event of a side impact crash. The cushions reduce side impact crash energy by 50%.

During a side impact crash, the energy-management cushions compress to absorb the incoming crash forces and safely expel the air through strategically placed vents. In doing so, Side Impact Cushion Technology reduces side impact crash energy by 50 percent by diverting crash forces away from your child. It is important to note that the cushions do NOT deploy upon impact, like vehicle airbags do.

The side impact cushions were developed to minimize injury to the child sitting in the seat by reducing the impact of incoming crash force. Beyond that, however, these cushions have an added benefit. They provide the seat’s exterior with an energy-managing surface which serves to reduce head acceleration of an adjacent passenger as well.

Currently, these cushions are found on the Britax Advocate CS convertible car seat.

Submitted by: Sarah Tilton, CPS Advocate, Britax Child Safety (Charlotte, NC)

Toys"R"Us

TOYS"R"US, INC. AND SAVE THE CHILDREN LAUNCH INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE BLANKETS TO INFANTS IN NEED IN THE UNITED STATES

Bundled in Hope Campaign to Include In-Store and Online Fundraising and Feature an Auction of Baby Blankets Designed by Jennifer Garner, Julianne Moore, Marcia Cross and Other Celebrity Moms WAYNE, NJ (May 4, 2009) - Toys"R"Us, Inc. launched a nationwide campaign to help provide baby blankets to thousands of infants in need in the United States, in collaboration with Save the Children. With monetary donations collected in Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores across the country and online at www.Toysrus.com/BundledinHope, Save the Children will purchase baby blankets for infants in the most impoverished parts of the United States. The funds raised will also help Save the Children provide ongoing support in these regions through a comprehensive early childhood development program.

"At Toys"R"Us, Inc., we love kids and helping them in times of need is one of the core values of our company. Knowing that millions of babies go without even the most basic essentials, such as a blanket, was a call to action for the "R"Us family," said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "We are proud to partner with Save the Children to help provide warm, comforting blankets to needy children nationwide."

In addition, for the first time ever, Toys"R"Us, Inc. will utilize its popular "R"Us Baby Registry to fundraise by offering expectant parents the opportunity to request donations for the Bundled in Hope campaign from friends and family purchasing items from their registry. New and existing registrants are eligible to join the fundraising program now through Saturday, July 11.

Also as part of the program, Toys"R"Us, Inc. and Save the Children have engaged celebrity moms to support the Bundled in Hope campaign by designing one-of-a-kind baby blankets that will be auctioned online. The entire winning auction bid will be donated to Save the Children to purchase and distribute blankets across the country and raise awareness for its programs in the United States.

Baby blanket designs by Marcia Cross, Jamie Lee Curtis, Isla Fisher, Jennifer Garner, Jennie Garth, Melissa Joan Hart, Julianne Moore, Kyra Sedgwick, Niki Taylor and Kerri Walsh will be featured online at www.Toysrus.com/BundledinHope, which also includes a link to the auction site to bid on the blankets. The auction begins on Mother's Day and runs through Saturday, July 11. In addition, visitors to the Bundled in Hope microsite can find personal baby blanket stories from Lorraine Bracco, Jamie Lee Curtis, Julianne Moore and Kerri Walsh, among others.

Toy Industry Association

New Standards Represent Ongoing Enhancements in Toy Safety

One of the components of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) that became effective on February 10, 2009 is a mandatory reference to ASTM F963, the toy safety standard that provides guidelines and test methods to protect children from a wide range of potential hazards, including lead exposure, choking, and sharp edges.

On February 17, a new edition of the standard – officially known as the Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety (ASTM F963-2008) – was published. Updates, which occur on an ongoing basis to make sure standards are as comprehensive and up-to-date as possible, include revisions to the sections on magnets, acoustics, yo-yo tether toys and flammability; a new section on impaction hazards was added.

The 2007 edition of the standard is still mandatory under the CPSIA, but the standards developer (ASTM International) has notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that a new edition has been published. As the enforcement body for CPSIA implementation, the CPSC will consider whether the revisions will improve toy safety. If confirmed, there will be a six month transition period before the new edition goes into effect as the mandatory reference

Toy safety standards are also being updated on the global scene. In March, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published a new edition of its standard for the mechanical and physical properties of safe toys (ISO 8124-1:2009). U.S. experts from TIA and its member companies lead the constant updating process for the ISO 8124 family of standards.

In both ASTM and ISO, representatives of TIA and its member companies work hand-in-hand with consumer advocates and government representatives to standardize the requirements that will help to assure the safety of toys . . . demonstrating an ongoing, year-round commitment to leadership in toy safety issues.

Toy Industry to Support National Foster Care Month with a Stuff-A-Thon in California

The Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) – TIA’s charitable arm – kicked-off its 2009 Toy Bank donation drive in a big way as five large truckloads of toys valued at over $250,000 were collected from more than 230 exhibitors at the 106th American International Toy Fair in February.

A significant portion of the Toy Fair ’09 collection will benefit charities around the nation, including the My Stuff Bags Foundation, a charitable organization that provides hope to children suffering from abuse, neglect and abandonment.

TIF and My Stuff Bags are teaming together on May 19 to host the toy industry’s first-ever “Stuff-A-Thon” as a way of commemorating May as “National Foster Care Month.” The goal is to prepare more than 5,000 duffel bags containing toiletries, handmade items and toys for children in need.

The Toy Bank supports a wide range of charities across the nation, collecting and distributing more than 6 million toys valued at over $46 million since the program’s inception in 2003. The goal is to hit $50 million in cumulative fair market value during 2009!

Britax

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