Lead Paint

Christmas wish-lists tend to be long, but so is the list of unsafe toys for kids. Parents should be taking steps to make sure they're not putting safe toys under the tree this year.

Choking is the No1 reason for accidents, but chemicals such as lead can also cause developmental problems like behavioral disorders and sickness. Exposure to lead can affect almost every organ and system in the human body, especially the central nervous system. Lead is especially toxic to the brains of young children.

Get your toys from a reputable manufacturing source; Some firms have taken large steps to ensure their toys are safe. Fisher Price has recalled almost one million toys because of high lead levels.

Suction Cups - Toy Guns

Suction cups affixed to projectile toys are intended for securing the projectile to a surface. Sticking and unsticking projectiles leads to repeated stress at the interface between the suction cup and the projectile. Furthermore, even children above three years old often bring suction cups to their mouths to moisten the cups so that they stick better to the intended impact surface. If the suction cup is not properly secured, it is foreseeable that it could detach during normal or foreseeable use. If a suction cup becomes detached and enters the mouth, it could block the airway at the back of the mouth and upper throat and potentially cause suffocation or asphyxiation.

Put simply, the European Standard for toy safety, EN 71, specifies the following requirements for projectiles:

The minimum permitted length for projectiles with a suction cup is 57mm.

When fired, projectiles with resilient impact surfaces, e.g. rubber, must not exceed a kinetic energy of 0.5J.

Rigid projectiles without sucker ends (e.g. an arrow where the sucker end has become detached) must not exceed a kinetic energy of 0.08J.

Suction cups should not detach, when subjected to a torque test, 90 Newton tension test, drop and impact tests, and if they do detach, they should not fit through the suction cups template as specified in the standard.If a projectile, exceeding the kinetic energies specified above, hit another child in the eye, it could potentially cause serious damage or loss of the eye.

Toys that do not meet these standards will be regarded as unsafe and failing the Toy (Safety) Regulations.

For further advice please contact your local Trading Standards Service.

Redbridge Trading Standards Seize 523 Toys

Following a tip-off, Redbridge Trading Standards seized 523 toys from a discount shop in the Borough.

The toys did not comply with the labelling requirements of the Toy Products Safety Regulations 1995 and will be submitted for testing by Trading Standards to determine their safety.

Toys are regulated by the Toy Product Safety Regulations 1995 which require that toys must not be sold if they do not have the correct labels, they must have the following:

• A CE mark
• The name and address of the responsible person
• Toys should be labelled with appropriate warning eg unsuitable for under 36 months etc.

If you suspect you have purchased an unsafe toy or require further information then please call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506

Dangerous Wooden Animal Trains

An importer of toys who supplied a Dorchester retailer with an unsafe wooden toy train has been prosecuted by Dorset County Council’s Trading Standards service.

These toys are a safety hazard and anyone who has bought one should not use it.

Weymouth Magistrates’ Court, Orange Tree Toys Ltd of Cheltenham, Gloucester, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 of supplying toy wooden animal trains to a retailer in Dorchester. The toy trains did not meet the requirements of the Toy (Safety Regulations) 1995. Orange Tree Toys Ltd were fined £1,500 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £600.

The court heard that in December 2009, an officer from Trading Standards purchased a toy wooden train with three trailers each containing a painted wooden animal, from a retailer in Dorchester. The train and trailer were held together by small magnets. When tested by Trading Standards the item was found to be unsafe as it came apart quite easily, revealing small magnetic parts and pins with sharp points that could easily be swallowed.
A further toy train was purchased and sent for formal testing. The result of the formal test confirmed Trading Standards' initial findings.

The Trading Standards investigation revealed that the company had supplied more than 30,000 toy trains since 2003. In November 2009 they changed manufacturer and had sold 1,350 of the newer item. They had not tested the product and had relied upon a test certificate that they had from their previous manufacturer.

In mitigation Orange Tree Toys Ltd stated they had issued a withdrawal notice, for the toys to all retailers, once they had heard from Trading
Standards and followed this up with a formal recall. They had previously sold this item without complaint and they believed that the problem occurred when they changed manufacturer.

Paul Carter, Divisional Trading Standards Manager for Dorset County Council,said: ‘We are pleased with the outcome of this case. This matter was of concern due to the potential danger posed by these items. Consumers may be unaware that a product recall was issued and we would urge anyone who has purchased a toy wooden animal train and trailer made by Orange Tree Toys Ltd not to use it.

‘This case also highlights the importance of suppliers of goods ensuring that items comply with current safety legislation before they put them on the market. If a supplier is unsure of the rules they should contact the Trading Standards Service for advice and guidance.’