(ANSI: Washington) -- December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month, and many people have started to prepare for the holiday season by purchasing toys for the children in their lives. Whether high-tech or old-fashioned, all sorts of play things are covered by a set of international standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). With these standards, which range from safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties, to flammability, consumers can be assured that the toys they purchase are safe.

One standard for toy safety was recently made mandatory in the United States with the signing into law of House Resolution 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). ASTM F963-07e1, “Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety,” found in Section 106 of the legislation, relates to possible hazards in toys that may not be readily apparent and may be encountered during normal use, intended use, or reasonably foreseeable abuse.

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