On 25 August 2015, a 4-year-old girl ingested magnetic steel toy balls by accident in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China. However, these balls attracted each other due to high magnetic flux index which caused intestinal blockage and peritonitis. Fortunately, the girl survived after rescue. But she is still under treatment in hospital.

In the EU, this kind of toys equipped with magnets or magnetic components will be withdrawn from the shelf or recalled if they have a high magnetic flux index. Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products (RAPEX) discloses a lot Chinese products of this kind in recent years.

In August 2015, a Chinese magnetic fishing set exported to the Netherlands was notified in the RAPEX. The product includes detachable small parts (magnetic components) which might cause small children to choke if swallowed. Furthermore, it may even cause intestinal perforation or blockage if ingested. The toy is finally banned for marketing as it does not comply with the requirements of the Toy Safety Directive and the relevant European standard EN 71-1.

As shown in relevant materials, magnets associated with accidents have two characteristics: strong magnetism (as they are oxides of rare earth elements such as rubidium, iron and boron), and in small parts that can be easily swallowed. Some magnetic toys contain magnetic small parts or balls may lead to suffocation if swallowed or ingested. When children swallow two or more super magnets (magnetic flux index≥50kG2mm2) or super magnet and other ferromagnetic objects (iron, cobalt and nickel), magnets may attract the other one (or ferromagnetic object), pressure on intestinal wall may lead to intestinal perforation or blockage, sometimes even can be life-threatening. The magnetic components can be taken out only by surgeries leaving permanent injuries to children’s alimentary canals. Similar cases are common at home and aboard.

The EU, United States and other countries set forth requirements as below with regard to injuries may be caused to children by magnets in toys:

According to Entry 6 of Article 6 in Annex II to Toy Directive (2009/48/EC): Electric toys must be designed and manufactured in such a way that electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields and other radiations generated by the equipment are limited to the extent necessary for the operation of the toy, and must operate at a safe level in compliance with the generally acknowledged state of the art, taking account of specific Community measures.

According to stipulations in EN 71-1: For toys other than magnetic/electrical experimental sets intended for children over 8, any loose accessible magnet(s) and magnetic component(s) shall have a magnetic flux index less than 50kG2mm2 (0.55 T2mm2); if such magnets or magnetic components are small parts and have a magnetic flux index no less than 50kG2mm2 (0.55 T2mm2), a warning is required.

According to ASTM F963-08: A hazardous magnetic component refers to any part of a toy that is a small object and which contains an attached or imbedded magnet which has a flux index > 50 50kG2mm2. No detachable hazardous magnets or hazardous magnetic components in the toys for toys intended for children under 14; no hazardous magnets or hazardous magnetic components are allowed after normal use and abuse test for toys; exemption is available for products manufactured by hobbies, crafts or scientific research intended for children over 8 and a warning is required.

China also poses requirements on magnets in toys. According to Article 4.27 in GB 6675.2-2014 Safety of toys: mechanical and physical properties: For toys other than magnetic/electrical experimental sets intended for children over 8, any loose accessible magnet(s) and magnetic component(s) shall have a magnetic flux index less than 50kG2mm2 (0.55 T2mm2); if such magnets or magnetic components are small parts and have a magnetic flux index no less than 50kG2mm2 (0.55 T2mm2), a warning is required.

It is obvious that magnetic toys can be deemed as safe if their magnets and magnetic components less than 50kG2mm2 and they are not considered as small parts after relevant testing.

Reminder: As toys contain magnets can be of great danger to children, countries always impose strict regulation on such products. So it is advisable for toy manufacturers to have their products tested for compliance to avoid accompanying losses.
Consumers also shall choose larger sizes of this kind of products so that they cannot be mouched or swallowed, and the magnetic flux index shall be less than 50kG2mm2. Furthermore, parents shall not allow their children (under 8) to pay with toys with strong magnets. Children shall be sent to hospital immediately in case any accidents caused by swallowing or ingesting such magnetic components or similar clinic symptoms such as sudden abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea that likely to be caused by the above.