Overview
EN ISO 8317:2015 (ISO 8317:2015) specifies performance requirements and test methods for child-resistant, reclosable packages. Published by CEN and adopted from ISO, the standard sets acceptance criteria and testing procedures that measure how effectively a reclosable package restricts access by children while remaining reasonably accessible to adults. It is applicable to reclosable packaging for any product intended to be removed or exposed in normal use and is intended for type approval only (not for ongoing quality assurance).
Key Topics and Requirements
- Performance requirements and acceptance criteria for child resistance and adult accessibility.
- Test procedures including:
- Composition and supervision of child test panels.
- Adult test panel (specified age range: 50–70 years inclusive) to verify usability.
- Options for sequential and full testing methods and how results are expressed.
- Sample preparation and preliminary checks, including disabling tamper-evident features before testing where applicable.
- Mechanical testing and measurement procedures (e.g., use of a torque meter for torque-dependent closures).
- Rules for evaluating a series of similar packages, identifying essential characteristics, and handling minor modifications or additions to a package series.
- Test reporting requirements documenting child and adult test outcomes and overall conformity for type approval.
Practical Applications
Who uses EN ISO 8317:2015 and why:
- Packaging designers and product engineers - to design closures and reclosable systems that meet accepted child-resistant performance.
- Manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, household chemicals, cosmetics and other consumer goods - to obtain type approval for reclosable packaging.
- Certification bodies and independent test laboratories - to carry out standardized child and adult tests and issue type-approval reports.
- Regulatory and compliance teams - to demonstrate conformity with recognized European/ISO child-resistant test methods for market access and safety documentation.
- Consumer safety and product risk assessors - to evaluate packaging as part of a product safety strategy.
Practical benefits:
- Provides a recognized method to balance child safety with adult usability.
- Helps reduce the risk of accidental ingestion by young children for hazardous products.
- Ensures consistent, comparable test data for regulatory submission and product certification.
Related Standards
- ISO 13127 (referenced in the standard for guidance on certain evaluations and modifications).
- EN ISO 8317:2015 supersedes earlier editions (e.g., EN ISO 8317:2004) and should be used for current type-approval testing.
Keywords: EN ISO 8317:2015, ISO 8317:2015, child-resistant packaging, reclosable packages, testing procedures, performance requirements, type approval, child test, adult test.
