Keep away from fire!
"WARNING! KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE"
Now that you've seen it, it may even look familiar.
Sometimes, this warning may also be accompanied with the symbol below.
The symbol above was designed to ensure that you are aware that certain products should be kept away from sources of fire.
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Bear in mind, however, that most symbols are not harmonised. This means that symbols alone are not recognised, so they must be accompanied by a written text warning.
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If you do see a symbol, it will usually have a picture of a flame with an illustration of someone either being injured or a prohibitive sign, warning you to not use the product close to naked flames.
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The current European standard for testing flammability of materials within the Toy Safety Directive is EN71 part 2 - Flammability.
What products carry this warning?
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There are a whole range of products which may carry this warning. The EN71-2 standard specifies materials that are prohibited in toys and focus on reducing the risk of burn injuries. As well as providing general requirements to all toys, it also specifically stipulates items with the greatest hazards such as:​
Toys worn on
the face or head
These include beards, wigs, moustaches, masks etc but excludes paper novelty hats found in crackers.
Cosplay items
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Toy costumes and any toy that is intended to be worn by a child during play
Plush toys
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All toys made of soft fabric and stuffed with cotton or a similar filling.
Toys which
require entry
These include play tents and tunnels
The warning of fire should never be taken lightly. Please be vigilant at all times and follow some basic common sense:
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Supervise!
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Do not let children play unsupervised.
Be aware of your surroundings!
Materials with a fire warning should not be used close to sources of naked flames or heat
Keep the distance!
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If you are a source of flame for any reason, please ensure any items with the fire warning are not in the vicinity
​​​There are not many toys that are flame resistant, hence, the standard provides some assurance that you or your child, if holding or wearing items that may catch fire, have or has sufficient time to drop the item, or remove it, thus avoiding any serious injury.
Remember to check all products that may carry the warning "Keep away from fire".
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Did you know that, in the European Union, any toy that has a burning rate between 10 mm and 30 mm per second must carry a label saying ‘WARNING! Keep away from fire’?
Tests consider the time taken for flames to spread on the toy after ignition. Any toy that, under test conditions, burns more than 30 mm per second fails the test and cannot be sold.
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If you haven't seen it yet, this is the warning you should look out for: