On November 13, 2012, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted and approved new federal safety standards for infant swings.  The CPSC received reports between May 2011 and May 2012 that involved 351 swing incidents between 2009 and 2012.  Two of the incidents involved a fatality, and 24 of the incidents resulted in an injury to the infant.  

The new federal standards require the following:

•    stronger warnings against slump-over deaths that advise parents to place the infant in the most reclined     position until they can hold up their head without help from the swing
•    testing of the swings to prevent the swings from tipping over
•    testing of the swings to prevent unintentional collapse or folding
•    testing of the restraint systems to prevent slipping and restraint breakage
•    the cradle swing must remain fairly flat when moving and not moving
•    powered swings must incorporate designs to stop overheating and battery acid leakage
•    designs must make sure toys cannot detach for the swing
•    seat angles of over 50 degrees must have shoulder straps
•    swings must incorporate static load requirements to inform of ideal load weight

The Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act and Section 104 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 require the CPSC to pass safety standards for swings and other toddler products like cribs, play yards, baby bath seats, walkers, beds, and more.  

The new standards become mandatory on May 7, 2013.  The CPSC hopes that the new standards will protect infants and toddlers from preventable accidents in the future.  

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission