Around the house
Baby-proofing that the rules back up.
Bath seats, walkers, gates, dressers and TVs, button batteries and magnets.
Bath seats
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A bath seat isn't a safety device
Infant bath seats aren't safety devices, and babies should never be left unattended in one. Federal rules require a permanent warning label that says so.
Source: CPSC Resellers Guide to Selling Safer Products (Publication 254, February 2025)
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Bath seat standard
Infant bath seats must meet the federal standard at 16 CFR part 1215, which incorporates ASTM F1967-24.
Source: eCFR: 16 CFR Part 1215, Safety Standard for Infant Bath Seats
Walkers and gates
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The AAP says skip walkers
The AAP says baby walkers aren't safe, even with an adult close by, and has called for a ban on making and selling walkers with wheels. It suggests safer options that look like walkers but have no wheels.
Source: AAP HealthyChildren.org: Baby Walkers: A Dangerous Choice
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How the walker standard stops stair falls
CPSC's reseller guide says a walker must have rubber-like gripping strips underneath or around the base to grip the floor or, without them, a base at least 36 inches wide so it can't fit through a standard doorway.
Source: CPSC Resellers Guide to Selling Safer Products (Publication 254, February 2025)
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Mounted gates, not accordion gates
Put safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs once a baby is learning to crawl and walk. Skip accordion-style gates, which can trap an arm or neck, and use gates firmly mounted to wall studs.
Source: AAP HealthyChildren.org: Home Safety: Tips for Families With Young Children
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Baby gate standard
Expansion gates and expandable enclosures must meet the federal standard at 16 CFR part 1239, which incorporates ASTM F1004-25.
Source: eCFR: 16 CFR Part 1239, Safety Standard for Gates and Enclosures
Dressers and TVs
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STURDY dresser rule
Under the STURDY law, enacted in 2022, dressers and other clothing storage units made after September 1, 2023, must meet federal stability requirements and come with an anti-tip device.
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Anchor TVs and furniture
Anchor TVs, bookcases and dressers securely to the wall. If you can't anchor a TV, put it on a sturdy, low base, push it back as far as it goes and keep cords out of reach.
Source: CPSC news release: Anchor It! Campaign Marks 10 Years (July 2025)
Button batteries and magnets
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Button batteries burn fast
A swallowed button or coin battery can burn through a child's throat or esophagus in as little as two hours. Take a child who may have swallowed one to the nearest emergency department right away.
Source: CPSC news release: Reese's Law Leads to New Federal Mandatory Safety Standard (September 2023)
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Reese's Law battery compartments
Under Reese's Law, products with replaceable button or coin batteries need battery compartments that take a tool, or two separate hand movements at the same time, to open.
Source: CPSC: Button Cell and Coin Battery Business Guidance
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Reese's Law dates
Reese's Law was enacted in 2022. CPSC applies its product performance and labeling rules to products made or imported after March 19, 2024, and its battery package warning rule to packaging made or imported after September 21, 2024.
Source: CPSC: Button Cell and Coin Battery Business Guidance
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Why swallowed magnets are dangerous
Swallowed high-powered magnets can cause perforated, twisted or blocked intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death. CPSC estimates 26,600 magnet ingestions were treated in ERs from 2010 through 2021.
Source: CPSC news release: New Federal Safety Standard for Magnets (September 2022)
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Federal magnet rule
CPSC's magnet rule took effect October 21, 2022. It covers products with loose or separable magnets used for entertainment, jewelry, mental stimulation or stress relief, and sets limits on how strong small magnets can be.
Source: Federal Register: Safety Standard for Magnets (87 FR 57756)