Nassau County - Long Island, New York

Mangano Offers Residents Toy Safety Tips

Keeping Your Children Safe this Holiday Season

With the arrival of the holiday season parents, grandparents, and friends have begun to prepare holiday toy shopping lists for their loved ones. Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano reminds residents that safety should be at the top of everyone’s toy list and stronger federal rules are making a positive impact and restoring confidence in the safety of toys.

“Not only should parents follow the age recommendations on the toy package, they should also make sure the toy is being used the way it was intended. Too many times there are injuries from safe toys being used in an unsafe way,” said County Executive Mangano. “I want this holiday season to be as safe and happy as possible for our families and being aware of the latest product safety measures and recall information can prevent potential injuries and possibly save lives.”

The United States (U.S.) Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) new toy safeguards include: establishing the lowest lead content and lead paint limits in the world, setting a stringent limit on the use of certain phthalates, converting the voluntary toy standards into mandatory standards, requiring third party testing and certification of toys designed or intended primarily for children 12 and younger, closing in on new limits for cadmium in toys; and working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to track shipments in transit from other countries, thereby increasing seizure of dangerous imported toys.

These safeguards, along with safety-conscious steps taken by many toy makers and sellers, have contributed to a continued decline in toy recalls since 2008. There were 34 toy recalls in fiscal year 2011. This is down from 46 toy recalls in fiscal year 2010, 50 recalls in 2009, and 172 recalls in 2008. In 2011, toy recalls related to lead declined to 4, down from 19 in 2008. Toy-related deaths to children younger than 15 increased to 17 fatalities reported in 2010, up from 15 reported in 2009. Nearly half of these toy-related fatalities were attributed to choking on balloons, small balls, and rubber balls.

A new report released by CPSC also notes that about 181,500 children younger than 15 years of age were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments due to toy-related injuries in 2010. Non-motorized scooters continued to be the category of toys associated with the most injuries. Frequently these injuries involved lacerations, contusions, and abrasions to the child's face and head. Importantly many of the incidents were associated with, but not necessarily caused by, a toy.

Safety Tips to Remember While Shopping:

 

  • When purchasing toys for children this holiday season you should keep in mind the most important feature – safety.

  • Always buy age appropriate toys. Toys meant for older children can be dangerous for younger children.

  • For children under the age of three, avoid buying toys with small parts because children tend to put things in their mouths and they could choke. Look for toys that are well made and have tightly secured eyes, noses, mouths and tails.

  • For children ages three to five, avoid toys with thin brittle plastic that can easily break and leave jagged edges. Check toy cars and trucks to make sure that wheels, tires or other small parts are not loose or removable.

  • If buying a toy gun be sure the gun is brightly colored and cannot be mistaken for a real gun.

  • Art materials, including crayons and paints should be marked with a designation, “ASTM D-4236.” This means the item has been reviewed by a toxicologist to ensure the product conforms with the Standard Practice for Labeling Art Materials for Chronic Health Hazards. The law applies to many children's toy products such as crayons, chalk, paint sets, modeling clay, coloring books, pencils, and any other products used by children to produce a work of visual or graphic art.

  • Large toys must be stable or they can tip over on to the child. Is the toy too heavy – will your child be hurt if the toy falls on him or her?

  • Video games should be clearly marked regarding age appropriate content. Nassau County Local Law 6-2006 states that video game retailers shall post a sign providing information about the video games rating system for games offered by the retailer. Information shall include store policy, relevant symbols, and content descriptors. Retailer shall make available written information as well.

  • The Consumer Product Safety Commission requires toy manufacturers to meet stringent safety standards and to label toys that could be a hazard for younger children. Look for labels that give age recommendations and use that as a guide.

Safety Tips to Remember Once the Gifts are Open:

  • Immediately discard plastic wrappings or other packaging on toys before they become dangerous play things.

  • Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings.

  • Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to young children. Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any mechanism to prevent overcharging.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, go online to: www.saferproducts.gov, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270 for the hearing impaired.