. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/TBT/N/ISR/560 
24 February 2012  
 (12-1047) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  ISRAEL  
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Israel WTO-TBT Enquiry Point  
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 different from above :   
Israel WTO-TBT Enquiry Point  
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor Tel:  +(972) 3 7347502 Fax: +(972) 3 7347626 E-mail:  Yael.Friedgut@moital.gov.il  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Playground equipment and 
surfacing (ICS:  97.200.40; HS: 9506.90, 9508). 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Playground equipment 
and surfacing: General safety requirements and test methods (86 pages in Hebrew and 94 
pages in English).     
6. Description of content:  Revision of the Mandatory Standa rd SI 1498 part 1. This draft 
standard revision adopts the Eu ropean Standard EN 1176-1 - May 2008 and should be read 
together with the European Standard EN 1177:  2008. This standard does not apply to 
inflatable play equipment, which should comp ly with Israel Mand atory Standard SI 5378.  
The Hebrew section of the revised standard includes the following changes from the adopted 
European Standards: 
- Removes from the standard's scope, para graph 1, all sport and fitness equipment, 
 unless they are installed in the playground. - Amends the normative referen ces appearing in paragraph 2. 
- Emphasizes special remarks in Table 4 of  paragraph 4.2.8.5.2 dealing with examples 
 of content for impact atte nuating playground surfacing. 
- Adds to paragraph 4.1.2, dealing with flammability, new requi rements as follows: 
 outdoor playground equipment should comply al so with the requirements of Israel 
 Standard SI 755 for level III.1.3 and indoor playground equipment should comply 
 also with the require ments of Israel Standard SI 921 according to the type of building 
 and the instructions provided by a fire safety consultant. G/TBT/N/ISR/560 
Page 2  
 
  - Adds to paragraph 4.1.3 a few general requirements for plywood. 
- Adds to paragraph 4.1.5 dealing with sy nthetic materials, a requirement that the 
 manufacturer should denote th e maximum lifetime of the synthetic components or of 
 the entire installation. 
The major differences between the old version a nd this new revised draft standard include: 
- The new revised version adds new requ irements for playground surfacing based on 
 the requirement of the European Standard EN 1177: 2008. 
- Adds to paragraph 4.2.4.4 new requirements for barriers. - Clarifies all requirements concerning the pot ential trapping of different body parts in 
 playground equipment as detailed in paragraph 4.2.7. - Adds to paragraph 4.2.9.4 new requirements for steep elements. 
Both the old standard and the new revised standard will apply for 6 months from the date of 
entry into force of the new st andard. During this time equipment should be tested either 
according to the old or the new revised standard. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human safety a nd lowering of trade barriers.  
8. Relevant documents:    
- Mandatory Standard SI 1948 part 1 (March 2006). 
- European Standard EN 1176-1 - May 2008. - European Standard EN 1177: 2008. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    To be determined 
One year after publication in Israel's Official 
Gazette, Section of Government Notices 
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from date of notification 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresse s, if available of the other body:  
http://www2.moital.gov.il/cmsta mat/rsrc/tkina/SI1498Part1.pdf