New Infant Sleep Safety Standards in Australia

Home resources New Infant Sleep Safety Standards in Australia

Table of Content

Introducing the New Infant Sleep Safety Standards (2024)

At the National Consumer Congress 2024, the ACCC outlined the introduction of these sleep product safety and information standards as aiming to improve the safety of baby products.

The ACCC have signalled young children to be a significant focus of their product safety work 2024-25, stating that this group is among the most vulnerable to harm from unsafe products. This was additionally seen in their toppling furniture standard (2024), where they cited the danger to young children, also supporting a broader concern for product safety online, sustainability concerns and overall increased consumer protection in Australia.

From 19 January 2026, businesses must comply with these standards. There is a transition period from now till then for businesses to prepare to meet the new requirements, where you can continue to comply with the previous standards. As consumers face many challenges – all of which are amplified by cost-of-living pressures – efforts to protect your consumers are more important than ever, especially those of such a defenceless group.

Do they apply to your products?

These standards apply to you if you sell items within the infant sleep products category (see key definitions below).

These include, but are not limited to:	They do not however apply to:
bassinets cradles co-sleepers bedside sleepers inclined sleepers household cots mattresses portable folding cots.	accessories that attach to or are used with infant sleep products products that are regulated by other safety or information standards like car seats, prams and strollers medical devices under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 products designed to carry a baby on the body of a carer or parent like a carrier, wrap or sling antique cots, collectable cots or second-hand goods, other than second-hand goods imported into Australia. If you are uncertain still, make sure to check the Consumer Goods (Infant Sleep Products) Safety Standard 2024 documents for further specifications.
Additionally where certain inclined products are designed and marketed for use by an infant for the purpose of sleep, they are also infant sleep products. Some examples are:
bouncers hammocks recliners rockers swings.

KEY DEFINITIONS:

1. infant referring to:

(a) a person under the age of 12 months; or

(b) a person over the age of 12 months that might reasonably use the product.

2. infant sleep product referring to:

(a) a product that:

(i) is designed, intended, marketed, supplied, or offered for supply, for use as a sleeping facility for an infant or for use as a facility to soothe or settle an infant; and

(ii) has a surface on which an infant may lay; and

(b) includes a product that is designed to convert to an infant sleep product.

How do I comply?

Complying with Australia’s mandatory standards for infant sleep products involves adhering to specific design, construction, performance, testing, and information requirements to ensure the safety and well-being of infants using your products. These standards are detailed in the Consumer Goods (Infant Sleep Products) Safety Standard 2024 and the Consumer Goods (Infant Products) Information Standard 2024.

During the transitional period until the new standards are enforced your product must comply with previous Consumer Product Safety Standards. You can find more details in the Safety Standard 2024 document.

General Design and Construction Requirements:

Feature	Requirement
Sleep Surface Incline	The sleeping surface must be flat, with an incline not exceeding 7 degrees to the horizontal, and should not be curved.
Rocking or Swinging Products:	If the product rocks or swings, it must not have a tilt or incline greater than 7 degrees to the horizontal.
Surface Rigidity	The sleep surface, including any mattress, must be sufficiently firm and rigid to support an infant safely.
Mattress	Dimensions must be clearly indicated on the product, should fit snugly with no gaps between the mattress asides of the product, and must not fold or separate when laid on if segmented.
Side Materials	Mesh or fabric sides must be firm enough to prevent covering the infant’s nose or mouth, reducing the risk of suffocation, and should be made of breathable material.
Restraint Systems	The inclusion of restraint systems, harnesses, or straps is prohibited.
Hazard Prevention	The product must be free from sharp points or edges that could puncture a baby’s skin and must not have gaps that can trap an infant’s head, neck, limbs, or fingers. Additionally it should not have any ribbons, cords or other decorations that may pose a strangulation hazard to an infant.
Mobility Features	If fitted with castors or wheels, at least two must have brakes to prevent unintended movement.
Locking Mechanisms	Any locking mechanism must have a clearly distinct locked position, making it apparent when engaged and ensuring it can only be disengaged intentionally.

Note: Please find associated general safety requirements test methods for all sleep products in the Safety Standard Document (Division 2—General requirements)

Specific Requirements for Household Cots:

Household cots must comply with additional requirements concerning construction, dimensions, footholds, impact resistance, entrapment prevention, stability, and strength. Cots with drop sides must meet specific design criteria for access fastening devices, drop side guides, and durability. Compliance can be achieved by adhering to one of the following standards:

AS/NZS 2172:2013, Cots for household use – Safety requirements
ASTM F1169-19, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Full-Size Baby Cribs
BS EN 716-1:2017 Furniture. Children’s cots and folding cots for domestic use

Specific Requirements for Folding Cots:

Folding cots must meet specific design, construction, entrapment prevention, stability, and strength requirements. Compliance can be achieved by adhering to one of the following standards:

AS/NZS 2195:2010, Folding cots – Safety requirements
ASTM F406-22, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Full-Size Baby Cribs/Play Yards
BS EN 716-1:2017 Furniture. Children’s cots and folding cots for domestic use

Specific Requirements for Bassinets:

Bassinets must adhere to additional requirements, including:

Side Height: A minimum of 250 mm from the sleep surface to the top edge of the lowest side or end.
Gap Dimensions: Any gaps between filler bars or slats should measure between 50 mm and 65 mm.
Stability: The bassinet must be stable and able to safely contain a baby.
Warnings: A warning indicating that the bassinet shouldn’t be used once the infant begins to push up on their hands and knees or once the infant has reached the manufacturer’s recommended maximum weight.

What are the Information and Labelling Requirements?

The mandatory information standard requires that all infant sleep products, as well as inclined non-sleep products, provide clear warnings and safety information. This includes details on safe assembly, proper use, recommended mattress size (if applicable), and any necessary warnings. Markings indicating the manufacturing origin must also be provided on the product.

By adhering to these comprehensive requirements, manufacturers and suppliers can ensure that their infant sleep products meet Australia’s safety and information standards, thereby providing safer sleeping environments for infants.

Warnings requirements summary:

Location:	Warning Details:
On sleep products	Infant products must have a durable, permanently affixed warning that is clearly visible, prominent, and legible. It must include “WARNING” in uppercase, an internationally recognised safety alert symbol (triangle with an exclamation mark), and statements advising safe sleep practices, including placing infants on a firm, flat surface, on their back, and keeping the sleep environment free from hazards. Additional warnings apply to inclined non-sleep products, stating they are not for sleep and should not be used unsupervised.
Examples (for on sleep products)
General Examples	Infant should be placed to sleep on a firm, flat surface. Place infant on their back when using this product. Do not put objects or accessories in an infant’s sleep environment. Do not place this product near a blind, cord, strap or similar item that could become wrapped around an infant’s neck.
Additional warnings for bassinets or cradles	Do not use this product when an infant begins to push up on hands and knees or has reached [insert manufacturers recommended maximum weight], whichever comes first.
On inclined non-sleep products	Do not use this product for infant sleep. Do not leave infant in this product unsupervised. Infant should be placed to sleep on a firm, flat surface. Place infant on their back when using this product. Do not put objects or accessories in an infant’s sleep environment. Do not place this product near a blind, cord, strap or similar item that could become wrapped around an infant’s neck.
Packaging	If packaging is provided, the same product warning as applied to the product must be clearly visible on the external packaging without opening. Plastic packaging must also include a permanent warning with “WARNING” in uppercase, the safety alert symbol, and a statement advising immediate disposal of plastic to prevent suffocation risks.
Displayed Instore & Online	Businesses selling infant products must ensure the product warning is prominently displayed in online listings and physical retail displays. In-store, warnings can be attached as tags or placed nearby as placards.

Comply effortlessly with SupplyScope

With SupplyScope, you can create automatic reminders to add permanent labels, and standardise the inclusion of warnings in product instructions. With the help of AI and automation, SupplyScope’s product lifecycle management tools make it easy to keep on top of the latest changes to industry standards, and ensure your products are always compliant.

SupplyScope provides real-time insights and suggestions in conjunction with leading Australian compliance experts, giving you the confidence to automate your compliance processes, and allowing you to focus on other areas of your business.

BySupplyScope

Editorial Team

SupplyScope is an all-in-one AI platform specializing in compliance automation and product workflows for retailers, marketplaces and brands. SS is designed to enhance product integrity, address mandatory compliance requirements and streamline collaboration.