Notice of danger to human health or safety and risk mitigation for products containing small powerful magnets
Last updated: July 4, 2023
Health Canada's mandate includes helping to protect the public by addressing or preventing dangers to human health or safety posed by consumer products. For that purpose, Health Canada's Consumer Product Safety Program (CPSP) administers and enforces the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) and its regulations.
Danger to human health or safety
Health Canada has assessed the hazards associated with the use of certain products containing small powerful magnets. These products may pose a magnet ingestion hazard to children.
Based on the danger to human health or safety assessment, Health Canada has determined that the following products pose a danger to human health or safety:
Certain products that contain small powerful magnets that do not conform to the applicable criteria set out in one of the following standards:
- section 43 of the Toys Regulationsunder the CCPSA;
- section 4.38 of ASTM F963-17 – Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety;
- section 4.23 of 71-1:2014+A1:2018 – Safety of toys. Mechanical and physical properties;
- section 4.31 of ISO 8124-1:2022 – Safety of toys - Part 1: Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties; or
- the equivalent.
Risk mitigation
The risk management strategies adopted in several jurisdictions are:
- In Canada, the Toys Regulations under the CCPSA were amended in 2018 to include requirements for magnetic toys;
- In the United States, voluntary safety requirements were established under the ASTM F963 toy safety standard, and these became mandatory in 2008;
- In the European Union, mandatory safety requirements were established under the EN 71-1 toy safety standard in 2009; and
- The international ISO 8124-1 toy safety standard added requirements for magnets in 2012.
The magnet-related requirements are aligned across the current editions of these four documents.
While these requirements specifically apply to toys intended for children under 14 years of age, they also address the magnet ingestion hazard presented by small powerful magnets.
These documents set out criteria that address the magnet ingestion hazard, including:
- A magnet must have a magnetic flux index of less than 0.5 T2mm2 (50 kG2mm2); or
- The magnet or magnetic component must not fit entirely in the small parts cylinder.
The small parts cylinder is illustrated in each of the referenced documents.
The magnetic flux index is measured according to the method described in each of the referenced documents.
You can find additional details about the scope of products affected and the hazard in the danger to human health or safety assessment.
Responsibilities
Manufacturers, importers, advertisers and retailers are reminded that:
- Consumer products that are a danger to human health or safety are prohibited from being manufactured, imported, advertised or sold in Canada according to paragraphs 7(a) and 8(a) of the CCPSA;
- It is the responsibility of industry to ensure that the products they supply to the Canadian market comply with the CCPSA and its regulations;
- Conformance with the identified criteria does not mean that the products are fully compliant with the CCPSA;
- Health Canada recognizes that there may be other possible health or safety concerns with the use of these or similar products;
- Industry should review their products for all potential hazards and respond appropriately to make sure they are safe for consumers; and
- The CPSP operates as a post-market regulatory regime, meaning that there is no pre-market review or approval of consumer products by Health Canada.
Health Canada may take immediate compliance and enforcement actions in line with the Department's compliance and enforcement policy framework when it has reasonable grounds to believe that a consumer product is a danger to human health or safety. Regulated parties that fail to comply voluntarily may be subject to enforcement actions under the CCPSA, which may include seizure, orders to take corrective measures, orders to recall products, administrative monetary penalties, or criminal prosecution.
Health Canada will continue to monitor the situation and may update this Notice and the associated Danger to Human Health or Safety Assessment as warranted.
Information resources
If you require additional information regarding this Notice, visit the resources below or contact a Health Canada Consumer Product Safety Office via email (hc.ccpsa-lcspc.sc@canada.ca) or telephone at 1-866-662-0666 (toll-free within Canada and the United States).
- The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) and its regulations
- Industry Guidance – "Danger to Human Health or Safety" Posed by Consumer Products
- Information for Regulated Parties on the Enforcement Approach for the General Prohibitions under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act
- Toys Regulations
- ASTM F963-17 – Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety
- EN 71-1:2014+A1:2018 – Safety of toys. Mechanical and physical properties
- ISO 8124-1:2018 – Safety of toys – Part 1: Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties
Subscribe to our electronic newsletter so that you can receive the latest news and information about Health Canada's work in the area of consumer product safety.
Page details
- Date modified: