SIST-TP CEN/TR 16792:2015

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST-TP CEN/TR 16792:2015
01-marec-2015
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Safety of children's clothing - Recommendations for the design and manufacture of
children's clothing - Mechanical safety
Sicherheit von Kinderbekleidung - Teil 1: Mechanische Sicherheit
Sécurité des vêtements d’enfants - Recommandations pour la conception et la
fabrication des vêtements d’enfants - Sécurité mécanique
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TR 16792:2014
ICS:
61.020 2EODþLOD Clothes
97.190 Otroška oprema Equipment for children
SIST-TP CEN/TR 16792:2015 en
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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SIST-TP CEN/TR 16792:2015

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SIST-TP CEN/TR 16792:2015

TECHNICAL REPORT
CEN/TR 16792

RAPPORT TECHNIQUE

TECHNISCHER BERICHT
December 2014
ICS 61.020; 97.190
English Version
Safety of children's clothing - Recommendations for the design
and manufacture of children's clothing - Mechanical safety
Sécurité des vêtements d'enfants - Recommandations pour Sicherheit von Kinderbekleidung - Teil 1: Mechanische
la conception et la fabrication des vêtements d'enfants - Sicherheit
Sécurité mécanique


This Technical Report was approved by CEN on 15 December 2014. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 248.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United
Kingdom.





EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2014 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TR 16792:2014 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

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Contents Page
Foreword .3
Introduction .4
1 Scope .5
2 Normative references .5
3 Terms and definitions .6
4 Mechanical hazards and associated risks .9
5 Risk assessment . 10
6 Garment design, materials and construction . 11
7 Manufacture . 18
8 Packaging . 21
9 Security tagging and display of garments for retail. 21
Annex A (informative) Accident data . 22
Annex B (normative)  Method for determination of removal force of attached components . 23
Annex C (informative) Method for determination of the security of attachment of non-grippable
attached components . 33
Annex D (informative) Information to be supplied by the designer to the manufacturer . 37
Annex E (informative) Rational for age definitions . 38
Annex F (informative) Test method for tensile strength of buttons and recommended minimum
strength. . 39
Annex G (normative) Slide/zip fastener specification . 42
Annex H (normative) Small parts assessment . 43
Bibliography . 44

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Foreword
This document (CEN/TR 16792:2014) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 248, “Textiles and
textile products”, the secretariat of which is held by BSI.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
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Introduction
The General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC [1] require all products placed on the market to be safe,
and provide information on how the safety of products should be assessed. According to the General Product
Safety Directive [1] product safety may be assessed by reference to the following:
— specific product regulations;
— national regulations;
— European standards which have had their references published in the Official Journal of the European
Union;
— other European standards;
— community technical specifications; national standards (i.e. national standards that are not versions of
European standards);
— industry codes of good practice; European Technical Report (TR)
— state of the art and technology; and
— the safety which consumers may reasonably expect.
More details on assessment of product safety are given in the EU The General Product Safety Directive
2001/95/EC.
When designing children’s clothing, it is essential to take into consideration the behaviour of children, whose
need for exploration and challenge drives them to use items in new and different ways. One common factor
children share is that they are unaware of cause and effect and are therefore substantially less cautious than
adults in relation to hazards.
It should be emphasized that consideration of the recommendations given in this Technical Report from the
earliest possible stage, i.e. the design stage, is of prime importance.
Recommendations on risk assessment are given in Clause 5. The recommendations given relate only to
mechanical safety. There are many other safety aspects relating to children’s clothing that need to be
considered when carrying out a full risk assessment, including chemical safety, thermal protection (against
heat or cold), avoidance of overheating, flammability,
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1 Scope
This Technical Report gives recommendations for the design and manufacture of safe children’s clothing in
relation to mechanical hazards.
This Technical Report also gives recommendations on safety aspects of the packaging and display of
children’s clothing, including guidance for retailers.
This Technical Report is applicable to clothing including bonnets, hats, gloves, scarves, socks and other
clothing accessories intended for all children up to 14 years of age. It is suggested that dressing up clothes
meet the recommendations of this Technical Report in addition to the requirements of EN 71.
This Technical Report is intended for use at all stages of the clothing supply chain, including use by designers,
specifiers and manufacturers of children’s clothing. It is also intended to be used by importers, distributors and
retailers to assist them in the selection of clothing that does not present a hazard.
This Technical Report is not applicable to:
a) child care articles, such as bibs, nappies and soother holders;
b) footwear, such as boots, shoes and slippers; or
c) toys and other items sold with the clothing;
as these articles are not within the scope of CEN/TC 248.
This Technical Report does not include recommendations on any clothing features that might be necessary to
cater for children with special needs.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
BS 3084, Slide fasteners (zips) - Specification
EN 14682, Safety of children's clothing - Cords and drawstrings on children's clothing - Specifications
EN ISO 139, Textiles - Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing (ISO 139)
EN ISO 3758, Textiles - Care labelling code using symbols (ISO 3758)
EN ISO 6330, Textiles - Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing (ISO 6330)
EN ISO 7500-1, Metallic materials - Verification of static uniaxial testing machines - Part 1:
Tension/compression testing machines - Verification and calibration of the force-measuring system (ISO
7500-1)
EN ISO 10012, Measurement management systems - Requirements for measurement processes and
measuring equipment (ISO 10012)
ISO 4915, Textiles - Stitch types - Classification and terminology
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3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
baby
child from birth up to age 12 months, that is all children of height up to and including 80 cm
3.2
infant
child from age 12 months to and including 36 months, that is all children over 80 cm and up to and including
98 cm in height
3.3
child and young person
person aged over 36 months and up to 14 years (that is up to and including 13 years and 11 months), that is
all children over 98 cm in height and for girls up to 176 cm and for boys 182 cm in height
3.4
babies' clothing
garments intended by design manufacture or selling route to be worn by babies
3.5
infant's clothing
garments intended by design, manufacture or selling route to be worn by infants
3.6
children’s clothing
garments intended by design, manufacture or selling route to be worn by children
3.7
foreign object
object not intended to be a part of a garment, for example, broken needle, stone
3.8
ischaemic injury
injury to a part of the body resulting from a restriction of blood circulation
3.9
attached components

3.9.1
press fastener
fastening device consisting of a male component and a female component that are attached to different parts
of a garment and which is fastened by aligning the two components and pressing them together
Note 1 to entry: Press fasteners include poppers and snaps.
Note 2 to entry: Press fasteners can be attached to a garment mechanically or can be sewn on.
3.9.2
tack button
fastening device comprising a button with a hollow shank on the back and a separate sharp tack, which is
attached to a garment by pushing the sharp end of the tack through the fabric from the reverse side into the
shank of the button
Note 1 to entry: Tack buttons are also known as stud buttons.
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Note 2 to entry: Tack buttons are widely used on denim and other casual garments.
3.9.3
rivet
two part assembly, comprising a part (referred to as a burr) which is attached to the outer surface of the
garment by a tack which passes though the fabric from the reverse side
Note 1 to entry: Rivets are usually used as reinforcements, particularly on the corners of pockets on denim and other
casual garments.
3.9.4
eyelet
item used to reinforce a hole through a garment, comprising a short metal tube with a flange at one end which
is fastened to the garment by pushing it through the hole and compressing it against a die
Note 1 to entry: An eyelet may also include a washer on the reverse side.
Note 2 to entry: Eyelets are used to facilitate lacing or the insertion of a drawstring, to drain pockets or to provide
ventilation.
3.9.5
pom-pom
ball created either from cut lengths of thread or yarn fastened at the centre, or from a piece of fabric filled with
filling material
Note 1 to entry: Pom-poms can be secured directly to a garment or attached by means of a cord.
3.9.6
tassel
bundle of lengths of yarn or other materials fastened at one end and free at the other end
Note 1 to entry: Tassels can be secured directly to a garment or attached by means of a cord.
3.9.7
tab
piece of textile or other material, of flat or looped construction, attached to the outside of a garment either for
identification or for decorative purposes
Note 1 to entry: These are distinct from adjusting tabs, which are defined in EN 14682.
3.9.8
button
knob or disc which is attached to a garment as a means of fastening or ornamentation
3.9.9
label
fabric, plastic or similar attached to the garment to provide instructions, information or to identify the garment
brand
3.10
garment assembly
section of a garment, made under production conditions, using production equipment and the components
that are to be used in production
3.11
hazard
potential source of harm to the wearer of a garment
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3.12
risk
combination of the probability of occurrence of a hazard and the severity of the harm which that hazard could
be expected to cause
3.13
risk assessment
thorough evaluation of the risks that a garment could present to the wearer as a result of the design,
materials, components and construction of the garment
3.14
sharp object
object with one or more edges or points which are exposed, or which could become exposed, and which are
likely to cause a cutting or piercing injury to the wearer of a garment
3.15
touch and close fastener
fastener consisting of two pile fabric tapes that are attached to different parts of a garment which is fastened
by pressing the pile sides of the two tapes together and which can be unfastened by peeling apart the two
tapes starting at either end
Note 1 to entry: Touch and close includes hook and loop.
3.16
wear trial
trial of a garment involving wear by intended users in order to obtain information on the wear performance and
characteristics of the garment
3.17
magnet
piece of iron, steel or alloy having the properties of attracting or repelling iron
3.18
magnetic material
material capable of being attracted by, or acquiring the properties of a magnet
3.19
zip/slide fastener
moving component consisting essentially of a slider body and, normally, a puller, which opens or closes the
fastener by separating or engaging the interlocking members
Note 1 to entry: The slider might incorporate a locking device. Alternative slider types are available with a flip-over
puller or double pullers, to facilitate operation from both front and back sides.
3.20
appliqué
cut out design or shape attached to the face of material for ornamentation, frequently of a different type and/or
shade of material
3.21
filling material
material which is encased in fabric to form part of the structure of a garment
Note 1 to entry: Filling materials include wadding, foams and feathers.
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4 Mechanical hazards and associated risks
4.1 Ischaemic injuries
Ischaemic injuries can be caused by loose or untrimmed threads on the foot or hand area of garments
becoming wrapped around fingers or toes, or by entrapment of fingers or toes in open fabrics (e.g. crochet) or
in fabrics with long float stitches. Entrapment of tongue or fingers is possible in large inflexible openings , in
components such as buttons, press fasteners, eyelets and zip/slide fasteners. These can cause a tourniquet
effect, thus restricting the blood circulation.
This is a particular concern in clothes for babies as the source of distress cannot be communicated by the
baby and might go undetected for some time.
In addition, areas of skin or parts of the genitalia can protrude through a mesh fabric used as a lining for
swimming trunks. The skin from these parts can become entrapped in the mesh leading to ischaemic injury.
Elasticated cuffs can also cause a reduction in blood flow to the hands or feet if the elastic is too tight or too
strong; this is a particular concern in baby clothing.
4.2 Entrapment of the penis in a slide fastener (zip)
All boys’ trousers that have a slide fastener present a risk of entrapment of the penis in the fastener.
4.3 Injuries from sharp objects
Injuries to children can be caused by clothing which contains sharp objects. The severity of the injury can
range from a scratch or irritation to a more serious injury such as cutting or piercing.
Injuries can be caused by components with sharp edges, which are sometimes found on buttons, slide
fasteners and decorative features, or by sharp edges which are produced through the deterioration of
components during the wear and aftercare lifecycle of the garment. For example, components of press
fasteners can become detached from the garment leaving sharp prongs exposed, and buttons can break, or
covered buttons can come apart, leaving a sharp edge.
Pins, broken needles, staples and other sharp objects used in the manufacture and packaging of clothing can
also cause serious injury if they are left in the garment.
4.4 Choking and aspiration
Buttons, toggles and many other garment attachments (including rubber and soft plastics items, such as
badges) can be a potential hazard, particularly to children under 36 months, if the item becomes detached
from the garment. As young children are known to place such items in their mouth, and might also insert them
into their nose or ears, any foreign object found in a child’s garment can present a risk of either choking or
aspiration. Stones left as a residue from a stone-washing process can present the same risks.
Aspiration (where items are inhaled via the mouth or nose) is possible if detached parts are sufficiently small
to pass into the trachea or lungs, for example beads, diamanté and sequins. Often these items might not be
detected, as their chemical nature means they are unlikely to be identified by X-ray. The consequence is the
foreign body can cause toxic shock or lead to an infection, the source of which might not be readily identified.
This can result in rapid and unexplained weight loss requiring hospitalization. This is very serious, however it
is extremely rare.
4.5 Swallowing
In most cases a detached item that has been swallowed will pass into the stomach and should eventually
pass through the body with food without causing harm. Notable exceptions are sharp objects, button cell
batteries and magnets.
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4.6 Magnets
If more than one magnet, or one magnet and a ferromagnetic object (for example iron or nickel) is ingested,
the objects can attract to each other across intestinal walls and cause perforation or blockage, which can be
fatal. Other risks include magnetic interference with devices such as pacemakers or infusion pumps.
4.7 Strangulation and entrapment
Garments manufactured with cords, drawstrings or loops present a potential risk of strangulation and,
entrapment. Studies of accident data indicate two distinct trends, see EN 14682:2014 Annex A .
4.8 Slipping, tripping and falling
Accident statistics show that the majority of tripping and falling accidents are caused by poorly fitting
garments. It is unclear whether this is due to inappropriate garment selection by the parent or carer or to the
garment itself being incorrectly sized. Examples of the latter could be a skirt or a trouser leg being too long in
relation to the waist and hip measurements. A belt or cord which is too long might also put the wearer at risk
of tripping. Some slipping accidents can be attributed to children of walking age wearing socks or footed
garments without wearing additional footwear.
4.9 Restriction of vision and hearing
Hoods and certain types of headwear can restrict a child’s vision or hearing, or both. Garments with hoods,
and certain types of headwear, have the potential to increase the risk of the child being involved in an
accident. Particular concern has been raised regarding an increased risk of playground and of road traffic
accidents.
4.10 Suffocation
Accident statistics suggest that suffocation accidents involving children’s clothing are rare. However, there
remains a risk of suffocation in babies under 12 months if a garment has a hood constructed from materials
which are impermeable to air.
5 Risk assessment
The General Product Safety Directive [1] specifies that all consumer products have to be safe or reasonably
safe in normal and foreseeable use.
Risk assessments should be carried out so as to cover every stage of the garment production process, from
the design stage, through manufacturing to retailing. This should include an exchange of information between
all those concerned with the design, manufacturing, buying and retailing of the garments to ensure that
garments put on sale to the public are safe.
The main stages that need to be carried out in a risk assessment are as follows:
a) identification of the hazards;
b) identification of the risks associated with each of the hazards;
c) removal of the hazards wherever possible;
d) for those hazards that cannot be removed, taking action to reduce the risks associated with them to an
acceptable level.
NOTE To assist in the assessment of risks associated with particular hazards, some recorded accident statistics are
given in Annex A.
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If a particular aspect of a garment design is found to present a risk, consideration should be given to removing
the feature and/or obtaining the same effect using a safer technique.
Measures to remove hazards and reduce risks at the manufacturing stage should include the following:
1) adapting to technical progress and using safer technology;
2) developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organization of work, and
control of factors relating to the working environment, e.g. introducing a broken needle policy in a factory,
and control of hand sewing procedures and the use of pins and staples;
3) implementing manufacturing management procedures to avoid or minimize risk including giving
appropriate instructions to employees, for example on correct broken needle procedures.
Risk assessments should be done on all garments, covering the complete range of sizes.
The following factors should be taken into account:
— the age of the intended wearer;
— the expected characteristics of a child that age, and the situation in which they are likely to be wearing the
garment, including the following:
— weight and height of the child;
— body measurements relevant to specific potential hazards, e.g. wrist size in the case of a garment with
elasticated cuffs;
— the age-related abilities of the child;
— the normal behaviour of the child;
— the situation(s) in which the garment is intended to be worn;
— the normal levels of supervision of the child while they are wearing the garment. For example, not only is
a sleeping baby very unlikely to be supervised, but it might also continue to be unsupervised when it
wakes.
When carrying out a risk assessment, it should be borne in mind that young children up to around age 7 years
cannot be expected to appreciate risks and that their behaviour can be unpredictable.
Risk assessments should be documented. The documentation should be dated and identified so that it is
traceable, and should include a record of the name and position of the individual(s) who carried out the
assessment. Risk assessments should be reviewed at least annually for long-running styles and further action
taken to reduce risks if necessary.
Wear trials should never be carried out as part of a risk assessment to determine if a garment is safe. If a
previously unidentified safety issue, or perceived safety issue, becomes apparent during a wear trial then the
wear trial should be stopped immediately and the risk assessment should be reviewed.
6 Garment design, materials and construction
6.1 General
Assessed capability. Users of this Technical Report are advised to consider the desirability of sourcing
materials and components from suppliers who operate quality systems that have been assessed and
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registered against the appropriate standard in the EN ISO 9000 series by an accredited third-party certification
body.
Garment designs and sizing should be based on anthropometric data for children in the relevant age group.
The performance of materials and components can be greatly reduced by aftercare processes. It is important
therefore that the type and likely frequency of aftercare processes are taken into consideration when
assessing the materials and components in the garments. Appropriate care instructions should be provided
with each garment, for example see EN ISO 3758.
For each garment design, the designer should provide the manufacturer with a full product specification which
should include, as a minimum, the information listed in Annex D.
6.2 Selection of fabrics
6.2.1 Fabrics should be used which do not present a mechanical risk to the wearer when forming
part of a garment. If necessary, the construction of the garment should be altered so that the fabrics
used do not present a mechanical risk.
Particular consideration should be given to the position of the fabric on the garment, the age of the intended
wearer and the type of end use of the garment. Examples include:
a) In garments for babies, fabrics with integral holes or open construction, e.g. crochet and lace, which can
cause entrapment of fingers or other body parts leading to ischaemic injury (see 4.1) should not be used.
b) Mesh fabrics, which can present a risk of entrapment if used in the lining of boys’ swimming trunks (see
4.1). This risk can be reduced by using a soft handle fabric with a hole size less than 1,5 mm.
c) Imitation fur fabrics. A safety risk assessment should be carried out to assess, pile retention, position on
garment and age of end user (see 4.4).
6.2.2 Fabrics which have uncut float stitches longer than 10 mm should not be used in the hand or
foot area of garments designed for babies.
6.2.3 Fabric used to support a sewn-on component, for example a button, should be sufficiently
strong that when the attachment of the component is tested in accordance with Table 1 and 6.5.1,
Note 2, the fabric does not tear. If necessary, reinforcing material should be used in areas where
components are attached.
6.3 Filling materials
Filling materials should not contain any hard, sharp or foreign objects. Garments which contain filling material
should be designed and constructed in such a way that the filling material is inaccessible and secure.
Particular care should be taken when using feathers/down as a filling material, as the quills could present a
hazard to the wearer.
6.4 Sewing thread
Monofilament sewing thread should not be used on the inside of children’s clothing owing to the risk of it
causing ischaemic injury or skin abrasion.
All thread ends in the hand and foot areas of the garments for babies should be trimmed off to a maximum of
10 mm.
Thread used to support a sewn-on component, for example a button, should be sufficiently strong that the
security of attachment of the component is in accordance with Table 1 and 6.5.1, Note 2.
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6.5 Attached garment components
6.5.1 General recommendations
This sub-clause gives recommendations that apply to all attached garment components. Specific additional
recommendations for individual types of attached components are given in 6.5.2 to 6.5.9.
It is essential that all components attached to clothing for children under 36 months are securely attached and
remain attached throughout the normal or reasonably foreseeable period of use of the garment.
...