Playpens Regulations (SOR/2018-186)

Additional Requirements for Playpens

Marginal note:Stability

17 When a playpen is tested in accordance with Schedule 7, at least three support points, each of which is found below or as close as possible to a post and one of which is not in a straight line with the other two, must remain in contact with the inclined plywood sheet.

Marginal note:Height of sides

18 When the top rails of the sides of a playpen are placed in the manufacturer’s recommended use position and no load is applied to its playing surface, the upper surface of the top rail of every side must be at least 508 mm higher than the playing surface.

Marginal note:Side deflection

19 The upper surface of the top rail of every side of a playpen must

• (a) when tested in accordance with paragraphs 1(a) to (e) of Schedule 8, be at least 508 mm higher than the playing surface; and

• (b) when tested in accordance with paragraphs 1(f) to (k) of Schedule 8, be at least 460 mm higher than the playing surface.

Marginal note:Strength of sides

20 The top rail of every side of a playpen that has a hinge and the latching or locking mechanisms of the rail must not, when the playpen is tested in accordance with section 2 of Schedule 8, break or disengage.

Marginal note:Rigid top rails — folding playpen

21 A rigid top rail of a folding playpen that has at least two hinges that latch or lock when the playpen is placed in the manufacturer’s recommended use position and that permits the top rail to fold vertically downwards from that position when unlatched or unlocked must meet the following requirements:

• (a) when the top rail is tested in accordance with section 1 of Schedule 9, it must be possible to insert the probe described in that section into the space that is created by the folding of the top rail to a depth that is equal to or greater than the minimum distance between the opposite folded segments of the top rail; and

• (b) if at least one of the hinges can be unlatched or unlocked independently from any other hinge, when the top rail is tested in accordance with section 2 of Schedule 9, the interior angle that is formed by the folding of the top rail must be at least 75°, measured within a radius of 76 mm of the hinge that is unlatched or unlocked.

Marginal note:Non-rigid top rails

22 A non-rigid top rail of a playpen must not, when tested in accordance with section 3 of Schedule 9, deform so that the surfaces or points that are identified on the template that is illustrated in the figure to that section and that are set out in columns 1 and 2 of the table to that section are in simultaneous contact with the top rail.

Marginal note:Top rails affixed to brackets

23 A playpen that has brackets that are affixed to its top rails and that are located above its posts must, when the playpen is tested in accordance with Schedule 10, meet the following requirements:

• (a) the brackets must be free from any visible cracks;

• (b) the fasteners of each bracket must not pass completely through any bracket wall; and

• (c) any part of a fastener must not completely detach.

Marginal note:Latching or locking mechanisms — folding playpens

• 24 (1) A folding playpen must have a latching or locking mechanism that prevents the playpen from spontaneously folding up or collapsing when the playpen is placed in the manufacturer’s recommended use position.

• Marginal note:Latching or locking mechanisms — top rails that fold down

  (2) A latching or locking mechanism that is on the top rail of a folding playpen that has a hinge permitting the rail to fold downwards must latch or lock automatically when the rail is placed in the manufacturer’s recommended use position.

Marginal note:Latching or locking mechanisms — operation

25 Every latching or locking mechanism on a playpen must meet one of the following requirements:

• (a) the mechanism requires a single action to latch or lock it and requires a force of at least 45 N to unlatch or unlock it; or

• (b) the mechanism requires at least two separate, deliberate and simultaneous actions to unlatch or unlock it.

Marginal note:Appearance of latching or locking — top rails

26 When a playpen is tested in accordance with Schedule 11, a top rail of a playpen that has a latching or locking mechanism must fold when the mechanism is unlatched or unlocked.

Marginal note:Entanglement

27 When a playpen is tested in accordance with Schedule 12, the load illustrated in Figure 2 to that schedule must not remain caught on any mechanism, fastener or projection of the playpen that is accessible to the child.

Marginal note:Structural integrity

28 The playing surface of a playpen, any component of the playpen that is located below the playing surface as well as the playpen’s rigid structural components must not exhibit any damage when the playpen is tested in accordance with Schedule 13.

Marginal note:Vertical displacement — removable floor pad with panel

• 29 (1) A removable floor pad of a playpen that is composed of a rigid panel or a series of rigid panels must not, when the playpen is tested in accordance with section 1 of Schedule 14, be displaced upwards more than 133 mm.

• Marginal note:Vertical displacement — removable and foldable component

  (2) A removable and foldable component of a playpen that is composed of a rigid panel or a series of rigid panels and on which a removable floor pad rests must not, when the playpen is tested in accordance with section 2 of Schedule 14, be displaced upwards more than 133 mm.

Additional Requirements for Accessories

Marginal note:Entrapment — accessory placed on or fixed to playpen

• 30 (1) When tested in accordance with section 1 of Schedule 15, any opening that is created when an accessory is placed on or fixed to a playpen must not permit the passage of the small head probe illustrated in Figure 1 to that section unless the opening also permits the passage of the large head probe illustrated in Figure 2 to that section.

• Marginal note:Entrapment — accessory detached or displaced

  (2) When tested in accordance with section 2 of Schedule 15, any opening that is created when an accessory detaches or is displaced from a playpen must not permit the passage of the small head probe illustrated in Figure 1 to section 1 of that schedule.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply in respect of a manufacturer’s recommended use position for an accessory if, in that position, the playpen’s floor pad cannot be used with the playpen.

Marginal note:Structural integrity — sleep and change table accessories

31 Every sleep accessory and change table accessory must be capable of supporting one of the following loads at the following locations for 60 seconds without any damage to the accessory:

• (a) in the case of a sleep accessory, a load of 24 kg that has a square base that measures 152 mm × 152 mm applied to the geometric centre of the sleeping surface and, if the surface has corners, then to each of the corners of the surface successively; and

• (b) in the case of a change table accessory, a load of 45 kg that has a square base that measures 152 mm × 152 mm applied to the geometric centre of the surface that supports the weight of the child.

Marginal note:Sleep accessories — angle

• 32 (1) The angle of the sleeping surface of a sleep accessory must not exceed 7° from the horizontal.

• Marginal note:Sleep accessories — angle of foldable mattress pad

  (2) The angle of the surfaces adjacent to a fold in a foldable mattress pad that is supplied with, or that is designed or advertised to be used with, a sleep accessory must not, when the sleep accessory is tested in accordance with Schedule 16, exceed 7° from the horizontal.

Marginal note:Sleep accessories that rock or swing — angle

33 Every sleep accessory that rocks or swings must meet the following requirements:

• (a) it does not rock or swing beyond a 20° angle from the horizontal; and

• (b) its angle at rest does not exceed 7° from the horizontal.

Marginal note:Sleep accessories — height of sides

34 The upper surface of every side of a sleep accessory must be at least 191 mm higher than the sleeping surface when no load is applied to the sleeping surface.

Marginal note:Sleep accessories — restraint systems

35 A sleep accessory must not have a child restraint system.

Information and Advertising

General Provisions

Marginal note:Reference to Canada Consumer Product Safety Act or Regulations

36 Information that appears on a playpen or accessory, that accompanies one or that is in any advertisement for one must not make any direct or indirect reference to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act or these Regulations.

Marginal note:Advertising

37 An advertisement must not show a playpen or accessory in any way that is contrary to the warnings set out in sections 44 to 49.

Presentation of Information

Marginal note:Presentation — general

38 The information required by these Regulations must meet all of the following requirements:

• (a) it must be displayed in both English and French;

• (b) it must be printed on the playpen or accessory, or on a label that is permanently affixed to it;

• (c) it must be legible and clearly displayed, including being printed in characters whose colour contrasts sharply with the background; and

• (d) it must be sufficiently durable to remain legible or visible, as the case may be, throughout the useful life of the playpen or accessory under normal conditions of transportation, storage, sale and use.

Marginal note:Print

• 39 (1) The required information must be printed in a standard sans-serif type that

  • (a) is not compressed, expanded or decorative; and

  • (b) has a large x-height relative to the ascender or descender of the type, as illustrated in Schedule 17.

• Marginal note:Height of type

  (2) The height of the type is determined by measuring an upper case letter or a lower case letter that has an ascender or a descender, such as “b” or “p”.

Marginal note:Signal words

• 40 (1) The signal words “WARNING” and “MISE EN GARDE” must be displayed in boldfaced, upper case type that is not less than 5 mm in height.

• Marginal note:Other information — height of type

  (2) All other required information must be displayed in type that is not less than 2.5 mm in height.

Requirements for Playpens and Accessories

Marginal note:Required information

41 The following information must appear on every playpen and on every accessory that is sold separately, as well as on any packaging in which one of those products is displayed to the consumer:

• (a) in the case of a playpen or accessory that is manufactured in Canada, the name and principal place of business of the manufacturer or the person for whom the playpen or accessory was manufactured;

• (b) in the case of a playpen or accessory that is imported for commercial purposes, the name and principal place of business of the manufacturer, the person for whom the playpen or accessory was manufactured or the importer;

• (c) its model name or model number; and

• (d) the expression “DATE:” followed immediately by words or numbers that indicate when it was manufactured, consisting of the year and either the month or week, listed in that order.

Marginal note:Assembly and use — playpens

• 42 (1) The following information must appear on every playpen in text, drawings or photographs, or in any combination of them:

  • (a) instructions on how to assemble it and a quantitative list of its parts, if it is sold not fully assembled; and

  • (b) instructions on how to fold and unfold it, if it is a folding playpen.

• Marginal note:Assembly and use — accessories

  (2) The following information must appear on every accessory in text, drawings or photographs, or in any combination of them:

  • (a) instructions on how to assemble it and a quantitative list of its parts, if it is sold not fully assembled;

  • (b) instructions on how to fold and unfold it, if it is a folding accessory; and

  • (c) instructions on how to place it on or fix it to a playpen.

• Marginal note:Exception — accessories supplied with playpens

  (3) Despite subsection (2), if the accessory is supplied with a playpen, the information required by that subsection may appear on the playpen.