G/TBT/N/AUS/158  
25 July 2023  
(23-5072) 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:   
Australian WTO TBT Enquiry Point  
Office of Global Trade Negotiations  
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade  
Canberra ACT 0221  
tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au  
+61 2 6261 1111  
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):  The ACCC 
has recommended the Assistant Treasurer, the Hon Stephen Jones MP, make an 
information standard to cover the following products:  
• chests of drawers, cabinets, and wardrobes, with a height above 500mm  
• bookcases with a height above 600mm  
• hall tables, display cabinets, buffets and sideboards, with a height above 500mm 
entertainment units of any height.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Consumer 
Goods (Toppling Furniture)  Information Standard 2023 ; (6 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  The proposed Consumer Goods (Toppling Furniture) 
Information Standard 2023  contains requirements for certain freestanding storage 
furniture products to include safety informati on about the hazards associated with 
furniture toppling and how to reduce the likelihood of an incident by:  
• affixing a permanent warning label to the furniture  
• providing safety information in the manual and/or assembly instructions 
highlighting the risk of  toppling and the importance of anchoring, and  
• providing warnings about toppling hazards at point of sale in -store and online.  G/TBT/N/AUS/158  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:   
In Australia, on average one death and over 900 injuries requiring medical attention are 
caused every year by toppling furniture. The ACCC is aware of 28 fatalities between 2000 
and 2022 attributed to toppling furniture. Of these, 17 involved children aged 4 years and 
under, and another 4 fatal ities involved older Australians (aged 60 years or older).  
Freestanding storage furniture such as chests of drawers, cupboards, wardrobes and 
bookcases pose the greatest risk of toppling over and causing injury or death.  
The objective of the mandatory info rmation standard is to reduce the risk of serious injury 
or death.  
The ACCC considers a mandatory information standard will improve safety outcomes by:  
• educating consumers on risks, safe furniture use, and effective anchoring 
strategies through affixed per manent warning labels  
• providing mandatory instore and online warnings such as hang tags and placards 
to raise awareness at point of sale, and  
• supporting information equity for diverse communities with the use of clear 
graphic warnings and plain English.  
Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer 
protection; Protection of human health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:   
Exposure Draft Instrument – Consumer Goods (Topping Furniture) Information Standard 
2023.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The proposed information standard would be adopted the 
day after it is registered.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  The proposed information standard would provide 
a transitional period (12 months) to allow suppliers to move to the new requirements. 
During the transitional period suppliers may choose to comply with the new requirements 
in advance of their coming into force.  
10. Final date for comments:  60 da ys from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] 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/2023/TBT/AUS/23_112 78_00_e.pdf