| It's a sad fact that many of the most | | | | loose or small parts which you feel may be |
| dangerous toys are favourites. Thousands of | | | | dangerous to your kids. It is also dangerous |
| cheap, unsafe toys are finding their way onto | | | | for your kids to play with toys which are |
| the market place with little being done to | | | | meant for older children. From time to time, |
| stop them. How many unsafe toys are there on | | | | inspect your kids' toys for any wear and tear |
| the shelves that we just don't know about? | | | | which can make them dangerous. . |
| Potentially dangerous toys are a serious | | | | |
| issue, but the scale of the problem is not | | | | Toys and games represent a thirty (30) |
| yet big enough to spark an exodus of U. | | | | billion-dollar-a-year industry. Toys caused |
| Despite industry standards and ongoing | | | | an estimated 150,000 visits to the emergency |
| improvements, dangerous toys are still widely | | | | room last year. Toys should be solid, strong |
| available and sold. Dangerous toys can be | | | | and well made. Toys should have lasting |
| classed as toys with parts that young | | | | interest and not just be the latest on the |
| children can choke on, stick up their nose, | | | | market. You can visit the Consumer Product |
| or otherwise hurt themselves with: sharp | | | | Safety Commission CPSC website. They publish |
| corners, fast-moving, massive projectiles, | | | | a list of toy recalls. Parents and children |
| etc. Children's toys can become dangerous if | | | | alike have a right to expect that the toys |
| they are misused or if they fall into the | | | | they select and play with are designed with |
| hands of children who are not old enough to | | | | the child's safety in mind. The first line |
| play with them. Just looking around car boot | | | | of defence for toy safety must be safe design |
| and garage sales will show you where most of | | | | and manufacture. The current state is that |
| the older and dangerous toys are bought and | | | | many parents will never know when a product |
| sold. People think they are getting a bargain | | | | has been recalled. |
| but what is the real cost? | | | | |
| | | | Protecting our children from unsafe toys will |
| Millions of dangerous toys which are for sale | | | | always remain the majority of parent's number |
| on shelves are being recalled every day | | | | one concern, but when will it become the |
| because of various reasons. There are | | | | number one priority within toy industry and |
| several different factors that can make a toy | | | | the government regulatory bodies. The toy |
| dangerous. Toys with magnets are high on the | | | | companies, retailers and the Government must |
| list due to the lead content, and the fact | | | | listen and act when dangerous toys are |
| that young children can swallow, or push the | | | | brought to their attention so that we don t |
| small detachable parts in the toys where they | | | | see the same hazards and the same injuries |
| shouldn't go. Many toys that are recalled | | | | reappearing year after year. Dangerous toys |
| have high levels of lead in the surface | | | | are not as common as they used to be, but |
| paint; lead being dangerous because it is | | | | they are still out there. Parents, guardians |
| poisonous. Any kinds of magnets in your toys | | | | and carers still must continue to check that |
| should put the toy high on the dangerous toys | | | | the toys they are buying are correctly |
| list. The majority of dangerous toys have | | | | labelled with the CE mark confirming the toy |
| little parts which can be removed and | | | | is safe. Where, for example, dangerous toys |
| swallowed by a young child. Toy parts that | | | | are being sold that could cause serious |
| can easily become lodged in a child's throat | | | | injury to unsuspecting children, the Office |
| have led to many incidents of death and brain | | | | of Fair Trading must be able to remove those |
| damage yet can still be found in newly | | | | toys from outlets. |
| designed toys. You should check all toys for | | | | |