Australia – Mandatory Requirements on Button Batteries and Products Containing Button Batteries Approved

Vol. 1209 | 07 Jan 2021

The Australia Government has approved the Consumer Goods (Button/Coin Batteries) Safety and Information Standard and the Consumer Goods (Products Containing Button/Coin Batteries) Safety and Information Standard. All affected products must comply with the Standards from 22 June 2022.

Consumer Goods (Button/Coin Batteries) Safety and Information Standard

This Regulation applies to applicable button batteries, including such batteries supplied together with other consumer goods.

Applicable button battery means:

• a small, single cell battery of lithium chemistry with a diameter greater than the battery’s height; or
• a small, single cell battery of a chemistry other than lithium with a diameter of 16 mm or greater.

Button batteries need to comply with the following requirements:

General requirements

1. The packaging of button battery must be designed so that young children are unable to open the packaging.
2. If the packaging is in blister form, it must be designed so that only a single button battery can be released at a time and young children are not able to open the packaging.

Labelling requirements

1. The following warning statements must be marked in the packaging:
   1. an alert word such as DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION in upper case;
   2. a combination of safety alert symbol and “keep out of reach of children” symbol ;
   3. a statement to mention the battery is hazardous and is to be kept away from children;
   4. if the battery is a lithium button battery: a statement to mention that the battery can cause severe or fatal injuries in 2 hours or less if it is swallowed or placed inside any part of the body;
   5. if the battery is a non-lithium button battery: a statement to mention that the battery can cause serious injuries if it is swallowed or placed inside any part of the body;
   6. advice to seek medical attention immediately if it is suspected the battery has been swallowed or placed inside any part of the body.
   7. The following warning format specified in IEC 60086-4:2019 is an example warning for a lithium button battery:
      
      
2. Warnings must comply with the requirements of clause D.5 and clause D.7 of ISO 3864-2:2016 (size, legibility and durability of the label).
3. For a lithium button battery with a diameter ≥ 20 mm, the “keep out of reach of children” symbol with diameter ≥ 6 mm must be marked on the button battery.

Consumer Goods (Products Containing Button/Coin Batteries) Safety and Information Standard

This Regulation applies to consumer goods containing a button battery. These consumer goods must comply with the following requirements:

General requirements

1. Button batteries in consumer goods must not release during reasonably foreseeable use or misuse conditions.
2. Young children must be unable to open the battery compartment of consumer goods containing replaceable button battery.
3. If the button battery compartment cover is secured by screws, the screws must remain with the cover.
4. Consumer goods containing a non-replaceable button battery, but which is accessible by the consumer, must meet the requirements in section 6.4 of UL 4200A.

Labelling requirements

1. The safety alert symbol must be marked on the front panel of the packaging.
2. The following warning and statements must be marked in instruction:
   1. an alert word such as DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION in upper case;
   2. a safety alert symbol ;
   3. a statement to mention that the battery is hazardous and is to be kept away from children;
   4. if the battery is a lithium button battery: a statement to mention that the battery can cause severe or fatal injuries in 2 hours or less if it is swallowed or placed inside any part of the body;
   5. if the battery is a non-lithium button battery: a statement to mention that the battery can cause serious injuries if it is swallowed or placed inside any part of the body;
   6. advice to seek medical attention immediately if it is suspected the battery has been swallowed or placed inside any part of the body.
3. Warnings must comply with the requirements of clause D.5 and clause D.7 of ISO 3864-2:2016 (size, legibility and durability of the label).
4. Apart from the mandatory requirements, there are additional recommendations for labelling.

For more information, please contact:

Carl Tso
carl.tso@intertek.com 
852 3760 6364