G/TBT/N/AUS/148  
15 December 2022  
(22-9311) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  AUSTRALIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if di fferent from above:   
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade  
Email: tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Bunk beds 
are those products that are supplied as an item of household furniture or part of an item 
of household f urniture. They do not include portable bunk beds designed for camping or 
bunk beds that are built -in fitments in caravans, camper trailers, tent trailers, camper 
vans, motor homes, trains, ships, aircraft and other types of conveyances.  
More specifically a  bunk or elevated bed is currently defined as:  
1. A set of components that are assembled or are ready for assembly into single 
beds or double/single combination beds which will be stacked one over the other; 
or 
2. Any single bed, other than a hospital bed, where  the upper surface of the mattress 
base is at least 800 mm above the floor surface  
The mandatory safety standard for bunk beds ( mandatory standard ) prescribes the 
requirements for the construction, design, and labelling requirements of bunk beds.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Consultation 
email for new safety standard – Bunk beds; (6 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  The mandatory standard references certain requirements in the 
1994 edition of the v oluntary Australian standard. The voluntary Australian standard was 
updated  
in 2010.  
The ACCC's preliminary position is to reference the most current edition of the Australian 
voluntary standard in a revised mandatory standard. In addition, consideration w ill be 
given to referencing overseas standards.  G/TBT/N/AUS/148  
 
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  The ACCC is considering updating the mandatory standard to permit compliance with the 
following voluntary/mandatory standards:  
• AS/NZS 4220:2010 Bunk beds and other elevated beds  
• EN 747 -1:2012+A1:2015 Furnitur e. Bunk beds and high beds. Safety strength 
and durability requirements  
• ASTM F1427 -21e1 Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Bunk Beds  
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (16 C.F.R Part 1513) Safety Standard 
for bunk beds (note this is a mandator y standard in the U.S. based on an earlier 
version of the ASTM standard).  
The new mandatory standard would not impose any requirements other than those 
contained in these voluntary standards. The bulk of bunk beds are imported, allowing 
suppliers to source  and sell bunk beds that comply with international standards would 
offer consumers greater choice. This could increase competition in the market, reduce 
prices and, given there are additional provisions being mandated, improve safety.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The objective of the mandatory standard is to minimise the risk of serious 
injury or death associated with the use of bunk beds.  
Referencing the latest edition of the volunt ary Australian standard will ensure suppliers' 
regulatory obligations remain clear and consistent whilst maintaining consumer 
protections.  
In addition, referencing overseas standards reduces the regulatory burden on suppliers 
in the form of reduction in ad ministrative, testing and compliance costs where a product 
already conforms to overseas requirements; Protection of human health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:   
Consultation email for the new mandatory standard – see attached  
Current mandatory standard - Trade Practices Act 1974 - Consumer Protection Notice No. 
1 of 2003 - Consumer Product Safety Standard: Bunk Beds  
Product Safety Australia page - Bunk beds  
The International, European and Australian/New Zealand standards are available for 
purchase f rom SAI Global . The American Standard is available for purchase from ASTM 
International . 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The new mandatory standar d would be adopted the day 
after it is registered.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  The new mandatory standard would provide a 
transitional period (likely to be 18 months in this case) to allow suppliers to move to the 
new requirements. During the transi tional period suppliers may choose to comply with 
the new standard or the requirements set out in the current mandatory standard.  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade  
Email: tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/AUS/22_8574_00_e.pdf