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USEFUL INFORMATIONToy Safety
Most countries have their own governing laws with regards to the safety regulations for consumer products. For example, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) closely monitors and sets regulation for consumer products especially toys. The standards for toys may include the type of paint used on toy surface, small and sharp objects, noise level and flamability. The toy industry has since come out with additional voluntary standards such as the (American Society for Testing and Materials) ASTM F963 standards in the US, and the EN71 standards in Europe. These include additional safety test, over 100 separate test, for toys to reduce or eliminate hazards with potential to cause injury under conditions of normal use or reasonably foreseeable abuse. Some toys comes with a CE marking - what does it mean? The CE marking is not a European safety marking or quality symbol for consumers and should not be considered as such. Its purpose is to indicate to enforcement authorities that toys bearing it are intended for sale in European Community and signifies a declaration from the manufacturer or his authorised representative that the toys satisfy the essential safety requirements applicable to them and are entitled to access to Community markets.
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While
there are many toys out there that provides fun and learning experience for your
child, it is important to ensure that they are safe before giving it to the
child. How do you know what toys are safe for your
child? Many toy
manufacturer today provides label information on their toys. What should
you be looking for?
So look for that ASTM 963 or EN71 standards compliance in the toy especially
for infants and toddlers, where they are at an age most vulnerable to potential
hazards. If the toys do not specify these standards compliance, use your
judgement in determining the safety standard of the toys. For example, if
you are buying soft toys, ensure that they are washable and made of material
that is non-flamable. There should not be any small parts eg. eyes that
could potentially drop off and become a choking hazard for the child. If
there are plastic wrappers that came with the new present, be sure to discard it
immediately. Remember to remove the label tag that comes with the stuffed
toy and put it in a safe place for future references.