ASTM International has issued F1004 – 16b Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Expansion Gates and Expandable Enclosures.
Updates to the standard include:
- New definitions for automatic closing system, egress panel, hold open mechanism, and pressure mounted gate
- Additional requirements for toy accessories not to be sold with a gate, and for toy accessories sold with an enclosure to meet ASTM F963
- Clarification about the applicable gaps added to the completely bounded openings requirement
- Clarification of the vertical strength requirement
- Clarification of the bottom spacing requirement
- Provisions added to latching/locking and hinge mechanism requirements for units with egress panels and automatic closing systems
- Provisions added to the vertical strength test for gates without a single top rail or edge
- Clarification of the vertical strength test for enclosures about how to test an odd number of joints
- Changes made to test procedure for the completely bounded openings and bottom spacing test
- New latching/locking and hinge mechanism durability test
- New automatic closing system test
- Additional instruction manual information required
This standard applies to:
- Barriers intended to be erected in an opening, such as a doorway, to prevent the passage of young children but that can be removed by older persons who are able to operate the locking mechanism; and
- Self-supporting barriers intended to completely surround an area or play-space within which a young child may be confined.
The standard was published on August 4, 2016.