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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced today that the federal safety standard for infant neck floats is now in effect. The rule establishes the first mandatory federal safety requirements for these products after years of reported drowning incidents, repeated CPSC safety warnings, and enforcement actions involving hazardous neck floats.
The standard applies to neck floats manufactured after June 15, 2026. It is intended to reduce the risk of drowning associated with infants slipping through or becoming submerged while using these products by addressing the following hazards:
- Children slipping through the product for reasons associated with inflation, which includes deflation and underinflation;
- Children slipping through the product for reasons not associated with inflation;
- Children slipping through the product due to a restraint system failure; and
- Children becoming submerged in water without slipping through the product.
A neck float is an aquatic toy intended for use by children up to and including four years of age.
Life-saving flotation devices regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard, including those that attach to the neck of a user, are excluded from this rule.
Between January 2019 and January 2024, CPSC received reports of 115 incidents involving infant neck floats, including two reported infant fatalities and two injuries requiring hospitalization. Many incidents involved caregivers rescuing infants after the child slipped through or became submerged, preventing what otherwise could have become a fatal drowning. Victims whose ages were reported ranged from just 17 days old to 12 months old. Many of these incidents occurred despite a caregiver being nearby, underscoring how quickly a child can slip through a neck float or become submerged.
Today's rule follows years of CPSC warnings and enforcement actions addressing the serious drowning hazards associated with infant neck floats. Most notably, in 2022 the Commission issued a public warning urging consumers to immediately stop using Otteroo LUMI, MINI, and earlier versions of Otteroo infant flotation rings after determining that infants could slip through the products if they deflated. That warning followed one reported infant drowning, one serious injury, and dozens of incidents in which caregivers had to rescue infants who slipped through the products. That warning remains in effect, and CPSC continues to urge consumers not to buy, use, resell, or donate Otteroo LUMI, MINI, or earlier versions of Otteroo infant flotation rings.
More broadly, CPSC has consistently cautioned caregivers that neck floats are not safety devices and that drowning can occur quickly and silently, even when an infant appears to be supported by a flotation product.
“Infant neck floats have long been among the most concerning product categories in the aquatic marketplace,” said Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman. “These mandatory standards reduce some of the known risks associated with this product category, but they do not eliminate them. Accordingly, the Commission reiterates its longstanding warnings to families about the unique drowning hazards these products present. No flotation product can substitute for constant adult supervision.”
Even partial slip-throughs can be fatal, and drowning can be quick and silent, often occurring in seconds. While using neck floats, CPSC advises caregivers to:
- Always stay within arm’s reach of the child to keep their mouth above the water.
- Follow the age and weight limits stated on the product.
- For products with inflatable components, follow the manufacturer’s guidance to properly inflate the product and verify that there are no leaks every time it is used.
Visit CPSC’s Pool Safely website for more information to keep your family safe in and around water.
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