Toy certification is critical to the safety of children. Toys are products intended for children who must be marketed in accordance with INMETRO standards and evaluations.
INMETRO is the body responsible for regulating toys in order to issue certification so that the product can be marketed in Brazil.
In this blog you will learn how INMETRO is certified for toys and how to know if a toy is properly certified and ready for sale.
What is INMETRO?
INMETRO is the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology. It was created by Law 5,966 of December 11, 1973, with the purpose of supervising, evaluating and increasing productivity and improvement of products and services.
The mission of the agency is to promote the trust of manufactured and marketed products through metrology and conformity assessment in harmony with the country’s consumer relations.
What is toy certification in INMETRO?
A toy is any product or material designed for the activities and play of children under the age of 14 according to item 3.52 of ABNT NM 300-1: 2002.
NM 300/2002 Standard:
Impact / Fall – Checks for the possible appearance of small parts, sharp parts, sharp edges or any internal mechanism in the toy that may be accessible to the child when falling;
Bite – Aim to find out if the bite generates small parts when pulled out of the mouth, dangerous tips or sharp parts;
Traction – verifies the emergence of a dangerous functional tip and risk of the child falling on the generated tip when pulled;
Chemical – analyzes the presence of heavy metals, harmful to health, in products; Flammability – checks if the toy burns quickly and the fire spreads throughout the child’s body if the child goes near the fire with the toy;
Noise – Checks whether the toy’s noise level is within the limits established by law.
The toys certification process in INMETRO is mandatory and ensures that the product is suited to the degree of security to be handled by a child.
The process is established in accordance with technical standards and regulations and is demonstrated in competent laboratory tests by an INMETRO accredited certifier.
Toys must be properly registered or certified with INMETRO – the body responsible for the rules and activities, as this way the product is ready for sale.
Licempre assists toy manufacturers in all processes for product regulation in INMETRO.
What are the requirements for the manufacture of toys?
When we talk about toys, every care is little seen that children can take apart the toy, put it in their mouth and cause accidents.
Toys, being products intended for children, are products that require greater attention from manufacturers. Therefore INMETRO requires some skills in order to ensure the safety of children when handling the toy.
As such, they must not have sharp edges or edges, parts that can easily break and detach causing accidents and should not be made of toxic paint or materials.
How is toy certification made?
To ensure the safety and preserve the health and physical integrity of children, since 1988 the Conformity Assessment of toys in Brazil is mandatory certification of toys manufactured and marketed in Brazil, following the regulation and program of Inmetro Ordinance No. 563/2016.
Following Inmetro Ordinance No. 563/2016, the requirements of the conformity assessment for toys, the following certification models are:
Certification Model 1b – Batch Test
Certification Model 2 – Initial assessment consisting of testing of samples taken from the manufacturer, followed by periodic maintenance assessment through product sampling on the market.
Certification Template 5 – Initial assessment consisting of testing of samples taken from the manufacturer, including quality management system audit – QMS, followed by periodic maintenance assessment by sampling the product in trade, to conduct QMS compliance assessment and audit activities
Source: Inmetro
For imported products, the cargo arriving in Brazil is evaluated and if approved is issued the Certificate of Conformity, where tests are performed to certify the approval of certification and only then the product can be marketed in Brazil.
Which toys need certification?
INMETRO’s toy certification process applies to all toys in the domestic market, considered under the characteristics of each toy and the age group to which it relates.
In general, the registry applies new and designed toys to children under 14, toys offered on offer, distributed and marketed in promotions, toys attached to other products, product parts, accessories and packaging.
In addition, registration also applies to the products listed in Annex A of the Technical Quality Regulation.
Inmetro Compliance Identification Seal
Compulsory certification states that for products to be marketed, tests, tests and evaluations must be performed.
However, products sold in Brazil need the seal of conformity.
New products must pass testing and evaluation to have the seal. Products that have the Inmetro seal of conformity have to undergo periodic tests to certify that the manufacturer has complied with the standards and may have their certificate suspended or revoked.
In case of disapproval, the product is prevented from being marketed throughout the national territory.
The inspection takes place through the state weights and measures, the Ipems and delegates related to Inmetro.
In the specific case of toys, certification is based on a harmonized technical regulation within Mercosur.
Precautions to be taken by the consumer
When purchasing a producer, require the conformity identification seal or certification seal. This seal ensures that the minimum safety requirements being met.
Before handing over the product to a child read the instruction manual carefully, observing special precautions.
Check the age of the product and if it matches the child who will use the toy.
How can Licempre help your company?
Licempre is a company that specializes in advising on regulatory affairs for product certification or registration as well as company registration.
You can answer all your questions by speaking with one of our experts.