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Buying Your Pushchair: Safety Laws and

Regulations

Before buying a pushchair, it is important that you are aware of the safety laws and regulations, and that any pushchair you purchase conforms to the British Standard.

The Law and Safety Regulations

Under the Wheeled Child Conveyances Regulations (1997), all pushchairs must conform to the The British Standard 7409: 1996, which sets out safety requirements for all pushchairs. A relevant EC Standard (BS EN 1888: 2003) will also conform to the Regulations.

Conforming to the Standard

The British Standard 7409: 1996 requires that all pushchairs should be permanently labeled to show that they conform to the British Standard. You should look for a label with the name, the trademark or other means of identification of the UK manufacturer, distributor or retailer. It should also state the number and date of the British Standard; BS 7409:1996.

Fire Regulations

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 set levels of fire resistance that applies to all upholstered products designed to contain a baby or young child, and so all new pushchairs must conform to this Regulation. When buying a pushchair, it is essential that you ensure that it has two labels clearly attached, one stating that it meets all the requirements of the Regulations, and another providing information on how it conforms, as well as a caution 'carelessness causes fire' notice. If these labels are missing from a pushchair, never buy it! If the labels are missing, then it should be assumed that the pushchair does not conform to these safety requirements.

Buying Second hand

If you are considering buying a second hand pushchair, you might not be able to guarantee that the pushchair meets the required standard, especially if it has been damaged or modified at all by the previous owner.

Here are some important things you should check for, as advised by the Trading Standards Service:

Make sure that the pushchair comes with the complete and original instructions
The pushchair should not have areas, such as openings or closing mechanisms where a child's fingers could become trapped
Ensure that there are no exposed or sharp edges at all on the pushchair that are sharp enough to inflict a wound or abrasion
Check that the brake works, and is still secure enough to hold the pushchair when on a slope
If the pushchair has a folding chassis, ensure that the primary and secondary locking device works properly
The five-point safety harness which goes over the shoulders, round the middle and between the legs, must of course still be present, secure, and in good condition. If the pushchair you are thinking of buying doesn’t have one, you will need to buy a new harness and ensure that it can be fixed by the ‘D’ shaped rings at the base of the pushchair seat. Do not buy a pushchair or pram that doesn’t have fixing points for a harness
The wheels should also be in good condition, showing no signs of damage
Look for signs that the chassis has been bent by heavy impact with curbs or stairs, or by overloading the pushchair with shopping
If the pushchair comes with any extras, ensure that they still fit the pushchair safely and securely

Overall, ensure that the pushchair is clean, in good condition and is still rigid and stable. This should give you a clue about how well it has been looked after. For further information, check out the Consumer Direct website: www.consumerdirect.gov.uk