The STURDY Act (Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth) was passed by Congress and signed into law as ASTM F 20657-23, effective on September 2, 2023.
The Home Furnishings Association supports furniture safety and the STURDY regulations. Unfortunately, consumers can still find non-compliant clothing storage units in secondary-market retailers like garage sales, flea markets, and social media marketplaces. HFA encourages and supports parent and consumer group efforts to drive compliance on these secondary markets, which pose the highest danger to children.
The Home Furnishings Association also backs our members and industry manufacturers with resources and encouragement to understand and comply with all product legal obligations, including the following important STURDY requirements, which apply to most clothing storage units manufactured after September 2, 2023.
Included Furniture
ASTM F 2057–23 applies to ‘‘freestanding clothing storage units, including but not limited to chests, chests of drawers, drawer chests, armoires, [chifforobes], bureaus, door chests, and dressers, which are:
- 27 in. (686 mm) or greater in height
- 30 lb. (13.6 kg) or greater in mass
- Contains 3.2 ft3 (90.6 dm3) or greater of enclosed storage volume.
Excluded Furniture
The standard ‘‘does not cover shelving units, such as bookcases or entertainment furniture, office furniture, dining room furniture, jewelry armoires, under-bed drawer storage units, occasional/accent furniture not intended for bedroom use, laundry storage/sorting units, or built-in units intended to be permanently attached to the building, nor does it cover ‘Clothing Storage Chests.’
Testing Requirements
The first stability test, Section 9.2.1, Simulated Clothing Load, loads drawers with simulated clothing loads. The clothing storage unit must not tip over with all doors and extendible elements (movable load-bearing storage components including, but not limited to, drawers and pullout shelves) open. This stability test simulates drawers in a CSU containing reasonable clothing loads.
The second stability test, Section 9.2.2, Simulated Horizontal Dynamic Force, applies a 10-pound horizontal force over a period of at least 5 seconds at a ‘‘handhold’’ not to exceed a 56-inch height and then holds the force for at least 10 seconds. This stability test simulates the pull force of children up to 72 months.
The third stability test, Section 9.2.3, Simulating a Reaction on Carpet with Child Weight, uses 60 pounds of weight placed on the edge of an open drawer or pull-out shelf while the CSU is tilted forward using a 0.43-inch test block to simulate placement on a carpeted surface, with all doors and extendible elements open. This simulates the static weight of children up to 72 months.
Labeling Requirements
ASTM F 2057-23 relies mainly on warning labels from the previous standard, ASTM F 2057-19, which requires clothing storage units to be permanently marked in a conspicuous location with warnings that meet specified content and formatting.
The warning statements address the risk of children dying from furniture tip-overs; not allowing children to stand, climb, or hang on clothing storage units; not opening more than one drawer at a time; placing the heaviest items in the bottom drawer; and installing tip restraints.
For CSUs that are not intended to hold a television, this is also addressed in the warning. Additionally, units with interlock systems must include a warning not to defeat or remove the interlock system.
Hangtag Requirements
ASTM F 2057-23 DOES NOT require a hangtag. Retailers can help product safety efforts by encouraging consumers to use furniture wall anchors and other additional safety measures.
