Installing or selling products that contain button or coin batteries carries a serious safety responsibility. AS 5347:2023, Button/coin batteries and consumer goods that use button/coin batteries – Safety for consumers, provides a unified set of safety requirements for both the batteries and the products that use them. It’s designed to help industry reduce the risk of serious injury, particularly in young children, and support national product safety regulations.
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What is AS 5347:2023?

AS 5347:2023 sets out minimum requirements for securing batteries inside products, applying child-resistant packaging, and providing safety labelling and instructions. It’s intended to work alongside the ACCC’s mandatory safety and information standards and can be applied across a wide range of consumer products, regardless of whether the battery is replaceable or permanently fitted.
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Who is this standard for?

This standard is relevant to anyone involved in the design, supply, or sale of products that use button or coin batteries, including:

• Consumer product manufacturers and designers

• Importers and distributors

• Packaging and labelling professionals

• Retailers and point-of-sale providers

• Safety and compliance officers
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What does AS 5347:2023 cover?

The standard outlines safety requirements and testing procedures for:

• Battery securement: Batteries should be securely housed and not easily accessed during normal or foreseeable misuse.

• Battery removal: Products should require tools or dual-action mechanisms to access batteries, or meet defined resistance thresholds.

• Child-resistant packaging: All button and coin batteries sold separately or supplied with a product (but not pre-installed) should meet specific child-resistance criteria.

• Marking and labelling: Prominent warnings are required on the battery, packaging, and product, including visibility and durability requirements.

• Safe disposal guidance: Clear instructions on how to handle and dispose of batteries are to be provided with all relevant products.
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Why is AS 5347:2023 important?

Swallowing a button or coin battery can result in severe injury or death, especially when the battery becomes lodged in the oesophagus. The risks escalate with higher voltage lithium batteries, which can cause tissue burns in under two hours. Since the publication of AS 5347:2023, multiple product recalls have highlighted ongoing gaps in safety compliance, reinforcing the need for consistent, standards-based approaches.

Following AS 5347:2023 supports efforts to:

• Reduce the risk of serious injury from ingestion or exposure

• Improve safety and reliability across everyday consumer goods

• Help manufacturers and retailers meet legal obligations under the Australian Consumer Law
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Access the standard

AS 5347:2023 is available through the Standards Australia Store and through our distribution partners.

For personal, domestic, or household use, read-only access of the standard is available at no-cost in our Reader Room.
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Explore more on product safety

For a broader look at how standards help support consumer safety, download our Product safety through standards and regulatory compliance report.

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