EN 16890:2017 specifies safety requirements and test methods for mattresses, including mattress bases (cot base and a mattress combined in one component) and mattress toppers, used in children’s cots, travel cots, cribs and suspended baby beds, for domestic and non-domestic use. 

The new standard aims to improve the safety of mattresses for use by babies and young children, taking into account unsafe cot mattresses may increase the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) as reported in the Decision of the European Commission 2010/376/EU. Babies and young children are subject to the risk of SIDS during sleep in which asphyxia is believed to be the cause of death. 

Major requirements on physical and mechanical properties: 

• Entrapment hazards from gaps and openings 
• External suffocation hazards 
• Chocking and internal suffocation hazards 
• Hazards due to edges and protrusion 
• Structural integrity 

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the CEN member countries are bound to implement EN 16890:2017 and withdraw any conflicting national standards no later than November 2017. 

STC Compliance Solutions 

STC (The Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre) is a not-for-profit, independent testing, inspection and certification organization. With a global network of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing laboratories and a team of dedicated professionals, STC offers comprehensive services to help manufacturers achieve compliance with the requirements of your target markets, ranging from technical consultation in research and development stage to end-product prototype assessment of physical, mechanical, chemical and flammability properties, as well as post-testing corrective action analysis.

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