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Parents are advised to beware of potential hazards of festive toys and take heed of the bilingual safety warnings as well as the usage instructions and identification markings on the toys, a Customs spokesman said today (December 18).
These toys include handheld toys; party toys; balloons; plush toys; light sticks and battery-operated toys.
The spokesman said that handheld toys with unsafe mallet might cause choking hazard to children aged under three.
Besides, flat or broken balloons might cause choking hazard to children under eight years old. Small loose parts, beads or decorations on plush toys might cause fatal suffocation hazard.
In addition, continuous bending on light sticks might cause leakage of chemical contents. Hence, there would be risks of injury associated with irritation on skin or eyes.
Wrong use of battery of battery-operated toys might cause injury to body, such as burning caused by battery overheating.
Below are some toy safety tips for parents:
* look for labels that give age recommendations when choosing toys;
* make sure to read and follow all instructions on the toys;
* keep small parts out of a child's reach since they are particularly dangerous to children aged under three. Tiny toys and toys with small, removable parts might be swallowed, inhaled or choke a child to death;
* make sure batteries in toys are properly installed and not accessible to a child. Besides, it is dangerous to mix old batteries with new ones; or to mix alkaline with carbon-zinc batteries, or rechargeable with non-rechargeable batteries;
* pay attention to the usage instructions of the toys that are only used under direct supervision of an adult; and the toys with functional sharp points or cutting edges.
From January 2001 to November 2002, Customs conducted 2 061 spot checks on the safety of toys. In these spot checks, 71 items of toys including handheld toys, squeeze toys, battery-operated toys, balloons, lanterns and light sticks were found unsafe.
These items failed to comply with the requirements of small parts, identification marking and bilingual safety warning or caution under the Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance (TCPSO) and Regulation (TCPSR).
In the same period, the Department received 26 complaints against unsafe toys including xylodrums, balloons, slides, tricycles, pop-up toys, teethers, toy light sticks, battery-operated toys, toy coin boxes, toys made of candy, spinning toys, ball game sets and toy lanterns.
Follow-up investigations revealed that the xylodrum was the only toy under complaint that failed with structural defects as the mallet of the toy was capable of entering and penetrating to the full depth of the testing template, posing a choking hazard to children aged under three.
As for the other toys, most of them could comply with the safety requirements; while some toys, like balloons, toy light sticks, battery-operated toys, spinning toys and lanterns were found without the required identification markings, that is, the name and address of the local manufacturer, importer or supplier, as well as instructions on battery usage for battery-operated toys and bilingual safety warning.
During this period, 11 companies and three persons were prosecuted and 417 toy retailers were served written warning for supplying unsafe toys under the Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance and Regulation.
For complaints on toy safety and children's products, please call Customs hotline 2545 6182.
END/Wednesday, December 18, 2002
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