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Experts Offer Toy-Buying Safety Tips

How to identify and avoid hazardous toys

By Joseph S. Enoch
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 21, 2007    Spanish

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With so much scrutiny on the toy industry, some consumer advocates say toys may actually be safer this holiday season than they have been for years, but they are still warning that there are almost certainly dangerous toys on store shelves.

“Given all the attention that has happened over the last few months with recalls, I am assuming and I gather that manufacturers, retailers, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and consumer groups are all redoubling focus on the consumer marketplace,” said Alan Korn, director of public policy at Safe Kids USA, a nonprofit that aims to protect children from consumer dangers.

“I'm fairly certain that this year is not going to be perfect but a lot of the lead-related toys and other dangerous toys are going to be washed out of the marketplace,” Korn continued.

Sally Greenberg, director of the nonprofit National Consumers League, agreed with Korn.

“I think the heightened level of scrutiny suggests to me that the testing from retailers in combination with all the toys that have been recalled suggest that toys are likely to be safer,” she said.

Jean Halloran, product safety expert at Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, was not as optimistic.

“At this point I wouldn't say they're safer,” Halloran said. “I think what we had is a trend as our toy industry has moved overseas which has happened in the last 10 years or so. I think there's probably been a growth in unsafe products.”

“We've now moved to a situation where 80 percent of toys sold in this country are made in China,” Halloran continued. “There are obviously risks with those products that we haven't seen with domestic-made toys.”

Parents should be cautious

All three agreed that parents still need to be cautious.

“There's still reason to be concerned,” Korn said. “There's still reason to exhibit caution and to use due diligence in buying toys. But I'm hoping that all this attention in the perfect storm focused on toy safety translates into a perfect marketplace.”

This year has seen an unprecedented number of recalls, most of which involved products imported from China, but the experts said it may not be feasible for parents to completely ban toys from that country.

“You don't have many (toys) to choose from if you rule out all the ones from China,” Halloran said.

Korn said, “I have a seven-year-old. Am I personally not going to buy toys from China? My answer is 'no.'”

Greenberg suggested that if parents buy any toys from China they ensure the product has no painted surfaces, pieces of metal or magnets that could be swallowed.

What to do

The Consumers Union and Safe Kids USA gave these toy-buying tips:

• Before shopping for toys, consider the child’s age, interest and skill level.

• When shopping, read labels. Look for well-made toys and follow age and safety information on the warning labels.

• Keep toys with small parts away from children under age three. They can choke on small toys and toy parts. Korn said asphyxiation is the most common toy-related death.

• Carefully read instructions for the assembly and use of toys.

• Remove and discard all packaging from a toy before giving it to a baby or small child.

• Although the CPSC insists that home lead tests are not accurate, Consumers Union encourages parents to use them to test suspicious toys. Lead Check and Lead Inspector are their preferred brands.

• Avoid no-name products and be careful of toys purchased at dollar stores, street fairs, vending machines, thrift stores or yard sales.

• Any toy or part of a toy that can fit through a toilet paper tube should be considered a choking hazard.

• Beware of toys that can be broken into smaller pieces such as chalk, crayons, or caps from markers. They can pose choking hazards to toddlers and babies.

• Do not give a bike without a bike helmet. Many states mandate that children wear a helmet while riding a bike.

• Sign up for the CPSC's product safety alerts and cross-reference any toy purchased with the list of toys already recalled because occasionally those toys are not pulled off store shelves. All recalled toys can be found at ConsumerAffairs.com's categorized recalls page.

Both Greenberg and Korn said that they expect toy safety will improve even more so next year but that parents always need to be cautious when purchasing toys.

CPSC's advice

Although part of its charter is to respond to requests for information, the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) did not return six phone calls and two e-mails to answer specific questions, but in a news release the agency offered these shopping tips:

• Ride-on Toys Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be sized to fit.
• Small Parts For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.
• Magnets For children under age six, avoid building sets with small magnets. If magnets or pieces with magnets are swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.
• Projectile Toys Projectile toys such as air rockets, darts and sling shots are for older children. Improper use of these toys can result in serious eye injuries.
• Chargers and Adapters Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.

To choose appropriate toys for children:

• Be a label reader. Look for toy labels that give age and safety recommendations and use that information as a guide.
• Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly-secured eyes, noses and other potential small parts.
• For all children under 8, avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.

Once the gifts are open:

• Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys before they become dangerous play things.
• Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings or neighbors.
• Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any device to prevent overcharging.

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