Toy Mechanical Safety Test — EN 71-1 / 2009/48/EC

What Is Mechanical Safety?

The toy mechanical safety test is a comprehensive set of tests carried out under EN 71-1. The product is first examined for sharp edges, sharp points, pinch points and accessibility; it is then subjected to tension, torque, drop, impact and compression tests to see whether it breaks apart in use. Any parts produced by these tests are re-assessed for small parts and sharpness.

Purpose of Mechanical Safety

The purpose is to verify that the toy does not reach a state, under foreseeable use and abuse, that causes injury or choking. This test set is the basis of conformity assessment under 2009/48/EC.

Which Products Is Mechanical Safety Applied To?

Plastic and wooden toys
Plush and fabric toys
Infant toys and rattles
Ride-on toys
Toy sets and figurines

In Which Sectors Is Mechanical Safety Used?

ToyRetailConsumer ProductsPlastics & Rubber

Standards Related to Mechanical Safety

TS EN 71-1 (toy safety — mechanical and physical properties)
TS EN 71-8 (activity toys for domestic use)
TS EN 71-14 (trampolines for domestic use)
ISO 8124-1 (international equivalent)
EN 71-1Mechanical and physical properties in toys test
EN 71-2oyuncaklarda yanabilirlik test
EN 71-3migration of certain elements in toys test

Mechanical Safety Conditions

Age group: As declared by the manufacturer; additional requirements under 36 months
Pre-conditioning: Drop, tension and torque tests defined in the standard
Accessibility: Accessible parts are determined with the probe defined in the standard

Equipment for Mechanical Safety

Small parts cylinder
Sharp edge and sharp point test devices
Tension, torque and compression test rigs
Drop and impact rigs
Accessibility probe sets

Sample Requirements for Mechanical Safety

Specimen as offered for sale, with packaging and instructions for use
Because the tests are destructive, multiple specimens are required
The declared age group and warnings must be provided
Batteries and accessories must be supplied with the product

Duration of Mechanical Safety

The test set is extensive and spans several days depending on the product's complexity. Re-assessment of parts produced after testing is included in the duration.

Mechanical Safety Procedure

1The product and packaging are examined; the age declaration and warnings are recorded.
2Accessible parts are determined with the probe.
3Sharp edge, sharp point and pinch point checks are performed.
4Tension, torque, compression, drop and impact tests are applied.
5Parts produced after testing are assessed with the small parts cylinder.
6Cord, string and elastic lengths are measured.

Mechanical Safety Acceptance Criteria

EN 71-1 defines a separate requirement for each clause; all must be met. No accessible sharp edge or sharp point may result after testing, and no small parts may be exposed in products for under 36 months. Testing is carried out according to the age group declared by the manufacturer. For toys designed for children under 36 months, small parts and swallowing requirements are markedly stricter; the age declaration must be consistent with the product's actual use, otherwise the declaration may be deemed invalid under market surveillance.

Evaluation of Results

The post-test condition is more decisive than the pre-test condition: a toy that looks sound can break after dropping and produce a small part or sharp edge. Most non-conformities emerge at this stage.

Mechanical Safety Report

Product identification, declared age group and warnings
Standard clauses applied
Conditions and results for each test
Post-test part assessment
Photographs

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

2009/48/EC Toy Safety Directive
(EU) 2023/988 General Product Safety Regulation

Oyuncak Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Mechanical Safety test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Toy testing shows that a product is safe in children's use. What sets this family apart is that risk is defined according to the USER: the same product may be hazardous for a child under 36 months and safe for an older child. Age marking is therefore not a marketing preference but a technical decision that determines which requirements apply, and it is justified in the technical file.

At the centre of the field is the risk of CHOKING. Children under 36 months put objects in their mouths; a part that detaches or is small to begin with can block the airway. Assessment with the small parts cylinder is the fundamental criterion for this group, and the tests examine whether the part detaches after use and misuse.

The logic of the tests is not that the toy must not break but that BREAKING must not produce a hazardous outcome. A child drops, pulls, bites and stands on a toy. Drop, tension, compression, torque, impact and tipping tests are therefore applied, and the resulting new state is then assessed: is the detached part a small part, did the broken surface leave a sharp edge, has the internal mechanism become accessible?

On the chemical axis, MIGRATION is what counts. What is measured in a toy is not how much of an element the material contains but how much of it dissolves and transfers under conditions simulating the mouth. Materials are divided into three categories (dry brittle powder, liquid or sticky, scrapable) and different limits apply to each; the amount of material a child could ingest varies by category.

Flammability is the third axis and is critical particularly for costumes, tents and plush toys: how quickly flame spreads across the surface is measured.

Electrical and battery-powered toys bring additional bodies of work: EN 62115 for electrical safety, the relevant battery standards and Battery Regulation obligations for the battery. For toys containing button cells, making the battery compartment impossible for a child to open has become a separate requirement — a swallowed button cell is a cause of serious injury.

Sound level is an item that is often overlooked. For toys used close to the ear (toy telephones, rattles, cap-firing toys) the sound pressure is limited; the risk of hearing damage is assessed.

Market regimes differ and do not substitute for one another: the Toy Safety Directive and CE marking in Europe, and in the United States the CPSIA with mandatory ASTM F963 and a third-party laboratory certificate (CPC). The United States also looks at total lead content while Europe looks at migration; the two approaches can produce different results.

Method groups in this field

Mechanical and physical
Small parts assessment, sharp edges and points, entrapment, cord and drawstring safety, dynamic strength, drop and tipping (EN 71-1).
Flammability
Rate of flame spread and ignition behaviour (EN 71-2); decisive for costumes and plush toys.
Element migration
Migration of specified elements in the three material categories (EN 71-3).
Organic chemicals
Phthalates, flame retardants, azo dyes, preservatives and fragrances (EN 71-9 and REACH restrictions).
Electrical toys
Electrical safety under EN 62115; heating, insulation, battery compartment and charging safety.
Sound and other
Sound pressure measurements; the requirements of EN 71-4 and EN 71-5 for chemistry sets and chemical toys.

Commonly confused in this field

Toy safety cannot be demonstrated with a single standard; the mechanical, flammability and chemical parts are assessed together.
Age marking determines which requirements apply; it must be justified in the technical file and not left to marketing preference.
An ASTM F963 report is not accepted in a CE file; the requirements and test arrangements of the two regimes differ.
Migration and total content are different things; the CPSIA looks at total lead while EN 71-3 looks at migration.
If the material category is chosen incorrectly the limit is applied incorrectly too; the category decision is made before sample preparation.
For toys containing button cells, battery compartment safety is a separate requirement; passing electrical safety is not sufficient.

Which decisions these results support

CE marking and the technical file
Determining age marking and warning texts
The CPC certificate and mandatory third-party testing for the US market
Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
Determining the scope of retesting after a design change

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Mechanical Safety

If I declare the age group as over 3 years, does the small parts issue go away?

No. The declaration must be consistent with the product's actual use; an over-3 declaration is not accepted for a product clearly aimed at infants, such as a rattle or teether. Products unsuitable for under 3 must also carry the warning defined in the standard.

Is this test enough for CE marking?

No. 2009/48/EC also requires chemical, flammability and, where relevant, electrical requirements alongside mechanical safety. A technical file, risk assessment and EU declaration of conformity must also be prepared.