DIN EN 12586:2011-04

This European Standard specifies safety requirements relating to the materials, construction, performance, packaging and labelling of soother holders. It includes test methods for the mechanical and chemical requirements specified. All products that are intended to connect a soother for babies and young children with any other product are included in the scope of this European Standard. This European Standard is intended to specify safety requirements for soother holders which are generally comprised of a strap with the holder at one end which retains the soother whilst the other end has a clasp that attaches to the child's garment. Accidents caused by soothers are few and any resulting in the death of a child are almost unknown. However, a small number of children die as a result of accidents where a soother is involved, but in these cases death almost always results from strangulation by a cord being used to hang the soother around the child's neck. Such cords were usually either home-made or made for some other purpose, for example, a coiled key ring holder. This European Standard is the first for this type of product and its main aim is to eliminate the risk of strangulation. This has only been made possible by severely restricting the length of the soother holder. The length should be sufficient for its purpose while not being so long that the strap can encircle the neck and strangle even the smallest child. The lack of reported incidents involving accidents or fatalities since its introduction would suggest that this standard has achieved this main aim. However, recently an increased use of loops has been observed which increases the risk of strangulation, so consideration of this design in this standard has become necessary according to the opinion of the experts and has been included in this standard through Amendment A1. This standard (EN 12586:2007/A1:2010) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 252 "Child use and care articles", the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR. The Committee responsible on the German level is Working Committee NA 095-05-02 AA "Artikel für Säuglingen und Kleinkinder - Essen, Trinken, Saugen und ähnliche Funktionen" ("Child use and care articles - Feeding, drinking, sucking and similar functions").