Most children under the age of 36 months do not have a developed coughing reflex. This Product Safety Standard aims to reduce the risk of injury or death to young children by ensuring that toys intended for their use are not so small, or do not have parts so small, that they could be swallowed or ingested causing choking.
It is mandatory under the Product Safety Standards (Toys) Regulations 2005 for toys intended for use by children up to the age of 36 months, which are supplied in New Zealand, to comply with specific parts of the Standard AS/NZS ISO 8124.1:2002 Safety of toys - Part 1: Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties. It is illegal to supply a toy that does not comply with this Standard and the Regulations.
The Regulations set out what types of toys are covered, and what parts of the Standard apply in New Zealand.
The Standard sets out the specifications a toy must meet and the tests which have to be carried out to determine that a toy meets those specifications.
The Regulations are issued under the Fair Trading Act 1986.