Children’s swings in the laboratory: 14 of 30 models with design defects under PN-EN 71-8
Between March and May 2026 Poland’s Trade Inspection checked 30 swing models — board swings, bucket swings and nest swings — and a laboratory tested their mechanical and physical properties to PN-EN 71-8:2018-04. Fourteen models had design defects; including formal shortcomings, 21 of the 30 were found non-compliant.
- The checks were carried out by the inspectorates in Łódź, Olsztyn, Opole, Poznań, Szczecin and Warsaw at wholesalers and in retail and large-format stores; 15 models came from China, 12 from Poland and one each from Germany, Ukraine and New Zealand.
- The laboratory tested openings in which a child’s head or neck could become trapped, the strength of the swing under load, distances between safety elements, the assembly system and rope diameter.
- The most frequent defects were detachable assembly knots that could come undone during swinging, incorrect rope thickness or an unsuitable rope-fixing system, structural damage, openings posing a head or neck entrapment hazard, a safety bar placed too low and packaging film that was too thin.
- Formal shortcomings affected 10 models — warnings or instructions (7), a missing declaration of conformity or CE marking (8) and manufacturer or importer details (5). Administrative proceedings may be opened in 13 cases, and in one case the business asked for the control sample to be tested.
Source: UOKiK — Bujaj, bujaj! W domu i na placu zabaw – kontrola Inspekcji Handlowej (10.07.2026)