CPSC published the updated requirements of clothing storage unit regulation of 16 CFR 1261 on May 04, 2023, the updated regulation quoted ASTM F2057-23 as the mandatory standard instead of the original requirements of 16 CFR 1261 approved by CPSC on November 25, 2022, the formal effective date of this regulation was delayed from May 24, 2023 to September 1, 2023.

Background Information

According to CPSC statistics, 234 fatalities resulting from clothing storage unit tip overs from January 2000 to April 2022, including 199 child fatalities.  CPSC estimated that there were 84,100 tip-over-related injuries with clothing storage units that were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments from 2006 to 2021 (an estimated annual average of 5,300 injuries). CPSC voted to adopt the voluntary standard of ASTM F2057-23 as the mandatory safety standard for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on April 19, 2023. The newest mandatory safety standard aimed to protect consumers from injuries and deaths accident caused by furniture tip over in dressers, wardrobe and other clothing storage units.

Scope application of ASTM F2057-23

The majority (approximately 80%) of deaths relate to children’s age of 72 months or younger, therefore this standard specifically covers children under 72 months. The products covered by this standard mainly include:

• Covering and including but not limit to wardrobe, chest of drawers, drawer chests, cabinet, dressers;
• Covering and including clothing storage units which are 27 inch or greater in height, 30 pounds or greater in mass, and contain 3.2 cubic feet or greater of enclosed storage volume.

ASTM F2057-23 mandatory standard mainly requirements

• Tests for stability when the unit is placed on carpeting;
• Tests for stability with loaded drawers and with multiple drawers open;
• Tests that simulate the weight of children up to 60 pounds interacting with unit;
• Warnings on product.

CTI suggestion:

Dressers, wardrobe and other clothing storage units must be equipped with wall fixtures which comply with the minimum tension requirements, the wall fixtures installation procedure and wall fixing method should be specified in instruction, customer must use the product after wall fixtures are correctly installed on the wall.