As previously reported, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a final rule establishing a mandatory safety standard for crib mattresses in February of this year. That standard became effective on August 15, 2022.

The new mandatory standard, which went into effect on August 15, 2022, is focused on reducing the risk of injuries related to suffocation, entrapment, and lacerations, by setting requirements for how tightly a mattress must fit inside a crib, mattress firmness and durability. The standard also requires manufacturers to provide product warning labels and information to educate parents about how their babies can sleep safely.

Among other things, the new rule changes the fitted test procedure for full-size crib mattresses by:

  • Measuring corner gaps from a projected crib corner and
  • Altering Cyclic Impact Test by requiring the use of two different mattresses for testing each side of a mattress sleep surface.

The new mandatory rule applies to full-size and non-full-size crib mattresses, as well as after-market mattresses for play yards and non-full-size cribs. The new standard is in addition to other existing CPSC safety standards that apply to mattresses, including rules on mattress flammability, the use of phthalates and lead, and other existing standards. Click here for further information about the new standard.