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Toy Safety Tips

Thousands of toys are on the market, each promising to educate or entertain our children. Unfortunately, not every toy is safe. Toy buyers can help protect children from injury by being careful, vigilant shoppers. PIRG's (Public Interest Research Groups) Tips for Toy Safety are designed to help parents, grandparents, care givers and toy buyers avoid the most common hazards in toys.

TIPS FOR PARENTS OF INFANTS & TODDLERS
Avoid choking hazards. Do not buy small toys or toys with small parts for young children.

Choking is the most common cause of toy-related deaths. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), at least seven children choked to death in 2004 on balloons, toys, or toy parts.

Read and heed warning labels.
Toys that pose choking hazards for young children are required by law to be labeled with warnings, like this one:

A toy with this warning should not be given to a child younger than 3. Be careful to keep toys for older children away from younger children. Never give young children small balls or balloons.

Small balls, balloons and pieces of broken balloons are particularly dangerous, as they can completely block a child's airway.

Make sure balls for children under 6 years old are more than 1.75 inches in diameter.

Never give latex balloons to children younger than 8 years old. Mylar balloons are a safer alternative.

STRANGULATION

Keep mobiles out of the reach of children in cribs. Remove mobiles completely before the child is five months old or can push up on hands and knees.

Keep cords short or out of children's reach.

Check the ends of pull toys. Remove knobs or beads from cords longer than one foot to prevent the cords from tangling into a dangerous loop.

Check openings on cribs and play gyms to be sure that a child's head cannot be trapped.

NOISE
Children's ears are sensitive, and their hearing is easily damaged. To protect children from loud toys, you can:

Use your own ears as a guide. If a toy seems loud to you, it is probably too loud for a child.

Take the batteries out of loud toys or cover speakers with tape.

TOXIC CHEMICALS
Some children’s toys, such as play cosmetics or art supplies, may contain toxic chemicals. Parents and consumers should:

Avoid toys made of PVC plastic; choose wooden or cloth toys instead.

Read labels carefully; contact toy manufacturers with any questions.

TOYS ON THE INTERNET
The labels and warnings required on toys in stores are rarely repeated on web sites that sell toys. Parents and consumers using the Internet to buy toys should remember:

Some toys sold on the Internet may be manufactured by companies that do not comply with U.S. toy regulations.

Toys sold on discount or auction sites may have been recalled by the CPSC because of hazards to children's safety.

TIPS FOR ALL PARENTS
Buy children accessories for safety.

Toys such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards and inline skates are safer when children wear protective gear. If you plan to give any of these toys as gifts, make them safer by also giving a CPSC-approved helmet with a bike; a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads with a scooter or skateboard; and a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards with inline skates.

Stay informed of recalls.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls numerous toys and children's products each year. Check www.recalls.gov for an archive of old recalls and to sign up to receive email alerts of new recalls.

REPORT A DANGEROUS TOY
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has the authority to recall dangerous toys and products from the market. If you think a toy or product is hazardous, contact the CPSC and submit a report by:

Phone: 1-800-638-2772
Web: http://www.cpsc.gov/incident.html
Email: info@cpsc.gov
source: http://toysafety.net/toysafety.asp?id2=8502&id3=toysafety2002&