All Thames & Kosmos science kits currently on the market were designed by, or with the assistance of, our German partner company Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG in Stuttgart, Germany. Because of this, all Thames & Kosmos kits first conform to all applicable sections of the European Safety Standards for Toys, EN-71, and are thus CE marked. In most cases, these standards are more stringent than the US safety standards dictated by the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Commercial Practices, part 16, and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), as well as the standards dictated by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F963 Standard Consumer Safety Specification on Toy Safety, which is mandatory for products manufactured after February 2009. Nevertheless, we have routine safety tests conducted by independent third-party labs according to ASTM F963, 16 CFR, as well as the changes to 16 CFR set forth in the CPSIA, to ensure that our products are safe when used as intended.

We are continually in the process of testing and re-testing products. Our products are mostly tested at Intertek Labtest, although some tests have also been conducted by Bureau Veritas.

Most of our science kits are manufactured in Germany. Some are manufactured in Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and mainland China. The country of origin for each kit is printed on the box, and is available on our website here: www.thamesandkosmos.com/about/safety/coo.html

When thinking about the safety of science kits, it is important to remember that science kits are not simply toys for play. None of our science kits are intended for children under the age of 5 years, and all of our kits require the presence and supervision of a responsible parent or adult. Our instruction manuals always provide important safety advice to children, parents and adults, as well as first aid advice when applicable.

Some common safety precautions apply to all of our science kits:
1. A responsible parent or adult must always supervise the experimentation.
2. All users must read the manuals thoroughly before experimentation and follow all instructions and safety advice prescribed in the manuals.
3. The manual and packaging must always be kept ready for reference.
4. The kits must be kept away from small children (children under 5 years).
5. Caution must be used in handling any objects with sharp points or edges, or that may break to yield sharp points or edges.
6. Never put any of the parts in your mouth.
7. Always wash your hands after experimenting with our kits.

Should you have any specific concerns about the safety of Thames & Kosmos products not addressed here, please contact us using the information on the Contact page.