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CPSC RIN: 3041-AD27 Publication ID: Spring 2014 
Title: Safety Standard for Magnet Sets 
Abstract: Based on its review of incident data, the Commission determined preliminarily that there may be an unreasonable risk of injury associated with children ingesting high-powered magnets that are part of magnet sets. These magnet sets are aggregations of separable, permanent, magnetic objects intended or marketed by the manufacturer primarily as a manipulative or construction desk toy for general entertainment, such as puzzle working, sculpture building, mental stimulation, or stress relief. In contrast to ingesting other small parts, when a child ingests a magnet, the magnetic properties of the object can cause serious, life-threatening injuries. On September 4, 2012, the Commission published a notice of proposed rulemaking to establish a standard to address this hazard. Under the proposal, if a magnet set contains a magnet that fits within the CPSC's small parts cylinder, magnets from that set would be required to have a flux index of 50 or less, or they would be prohibited. The flux index would be determined by the method described in ASTM F963-11, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety. The comment period ended on November 19, 2012. On October 22, 2013, the Commission held a public meeting providing an opportunity for the oral presentation of comments on the NPRM. Following review of the written and oral comments, staff will prepare for Commission consideration a briefing package on the final rule. 
Agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission(CPSC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Final Rule Stage 
Major: Undetermined  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 16 CFR 1240   
Legal Authority: 15 USC 2056 to 2058   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
Staff Sent Briefing Package to Commission  08/08/2012 
Commission Decision  08/24/2012 
NPRM Published in Federal Register  09/04/2012  77 FR 53781   
Comment Period Ends  11/19/2012 
Notice of Opportunity for Oral Presentation of Comments Published  09/24/2013  78 FR 58491   
Public Meeting for Oral Presentation of Comments  10/22/2013 
Staff Sends Briefing Package to Commission  06/00/2014 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Undetermined  Government Levels Affected: Undetermined 
Federalism: Undetermined 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Jonathan Midgett
Engineering Psychologist
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction, 5 Research Place,
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone:301 987-2561
Email: jmidgett@cpsc.gov