View Rule

In 2014, the Commission issued a final rule establishing a safety standard for magnet sets 79 FR 59962 (Oct. 3, 2014). The Commission determined that an unreasonable risk of injury is associated with children ingesting high-powered magnets that are part of magnet sets. These magnet sets are aggregations of separable magnetic objects intended or marketed by the manufacturer as a manipulative or construction for general entertainment, such as puzzle working, sculpture building, mental stimulation, or stress relief. Under the rule, if a magnet set contains a magnet that fits within the CPSC's small parts cylinder, magnets from that set must have a flux index of 50 or less. The flux index is determined by the method described in ASTM F963-11, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety. On November 22, 2016, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the rule setting the standard and remanded the rule to the CPSC. Zen Magnets, LLC v. Consumer Product Safety Commission , 841 F.3d 1141 (10th Cir. 2016). On March 1, 2017, the Commission voted to direct staff to prepare a briefing package and draft NPRM to submit to the Commission.