New safety standard applicable to lighters

The European Union requires lighters equipped with child safety features

On March 11, 2007, consumer safety saw a new advance thanks to a decision by the Commission requiring that no more lighters dangerous to children be on the European market. In this decision, the Commission asks governments to ensure that regular lighters sold in their territory are equipped with child safety features. It also prohibits the marketing of lighters (so-called " novelty lighters ») that imitate objects having a particular appeal to children. Luxury lighters are not targeted by the ban but must continue to comply with the general safety specifications applicable to these products.

« I welcome the entry into force of these important provisions, which will strengthen consumer safety, and in particular, that of children in Europe » declared Ms. Meglena Kouneva, Commissioner for Consumer Protection. « Manufacturers have had ten months to adapt their products; They are allowed, at a minimal cost – a few euro cents per lighter –, to increase consumer confidence and to help prevent a considerable number of fires, accidents, and deaths. We continue to import large quantities of lighters from the Far East and, in particular, the People's Republic of China: I will therefore continue to cooperate with the authorities of that country to ensure that the new specifications are duly understood and followed. »

The provisions in force remain validuntil May of this year. On February 13, the representatives of the Member States on the committee established by the directive on the general safety of products unanimously voted for an extension of these provisions and agreed to set March 11, 2008 as the date from which consumers will no longer be able to obtain lighters without child safety features or novelty lighters.

Why such a decision?

The handling of lighters by young children who use them as toys is the cause of serious fires, which are estimated to result, at the European Union level, in 1,500 to 1,900 injuries and 34 to 40 deaths per year. Safety devices help prevent such accidents, and their use has been mandatory in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for about ten years. In the United States, the imposition of specifications of this nature has ledon a 60% reduction in the number of accidents.

Lighters are intrinsically dangerous products, since they produce a flame or heat thanks to the fuel they contain. The risk is even greater when they are handled by young children; this is generally the case for disposable lighters, sold in large quantities – usually in collective packaging – and treated as low-value items. In the hands of a child, they can be the cause of fires and serious, even fatal, injuries.

What is the scope of the decision?

The provisions of the decision relating to child safety apply, roughly speaking, to about 98% of lighters sold each year in the European Union: disposable lighters, plastic lighters, and low-cost metal lighters. Some lighters may be exempt because they are less easily accessible to children, but they must nonetheless meet general safety specifications set out in the EN ISO 9994 standard, specifically dedicated to lighters.To benefit from an exemption from the provisions mentioned above, a lighter must meet various technical criteria, set out in the decision. The decision also prohibits the placing on the market of "novelty lighters," which have the appearance of objects particularly attractive to children (toys, mobile phones, food, cars, etc.) and which are therefore highly susceptible to being handled inappropriately by them.

What is a lighter equipped with a child-resistant safety device?

A European standard (EN 13869:2002) defines the specifications for child-resistant safety devices for lighters. Lighters that comply with these specifications are presumed to conform to the provisions of the decision. The same applies to lighters that meet the safety specifications applied in third countries (the United States, for example), provided that these specifications are equivalent to those of the decision.

How will the decision be implemented?

At the request of the competent national authorities, manufacturers and importers of lighters will present all relevant documents, including the reports of tests to which the child safety mechanisms have been subjected. These reports must come from accredited or recognized bodies by the competent authorities, or from bodies whose publications are accepted by countries (including the United States) that apply specifications equivalent to those of the Commission.Distributors will be required to cooperate with public authorities and provide them, upon request, with the documents required to establish the origin of the lighters they place on the market

Source: European Commission.

The lighters sold on our site www.smoking.fr comply with the ISO 9994-2007 standard applicable since 11 March 2007 and mandatory by 11 March 2008.