2006
TOY
SAFETY
Safe Practices
x
Check that Toy Labelling for the following
information:
£ Age recommendation.
£ Adequate instructions on how to use the
toy.
Toys play an important role in helping
children to learn and develop. Follow
these recommendations to also make sure
they are safe.
x
x
1 out of 6 children in
Australia require medical
treatment for an injury
from a toy.
£ Information on
whether the toy
is non-toxic and
non-flammable, eg
paints, crayons, glues.
x
Do not store toys in plastic bags.
x
Drill holes in the toy box for ventilation.
x
Use a toy box lid that is not attached to the
toy box.
x
Check toys regularly and discard broken toys
immediately.
x
Discourage younger children from playing
with toys designed for older children.
The most common injuries
are related to choking.
Only give your child toys that are safely
designed to avoid the risk of:
x
x
x
x
x
Choking on small objects – inhaling or
swallowing them.
Crushing parts of the body, eg fingers.
Cuts.
Poking out eyes with sharp objects.
Strangulation.
“RULE OF THUMB”
The smaller the child, the
bigger the toy
The Film Canister Test
If any object can fit into
a 35mm film canister,
then it is capable of
choking a child under
the age of 3.
© Kidsafe Tasmania 2015
x
Fact Sheets
If the toy requires safety gear, Kidsafe
recommends that you buy it at the same
time as you buy the toy, eg scooters,
rollerblades, skateboards & bikes.
New toys
toys should
should be
be introduced
introduced to
to the
the child
child
xx New
in your
your presence,
presence, so
so that
that you
you can
can be
be sure
sure
in
the
toy
is
safe
and
age
appropriate.
the toy is safe and age appropriate.
Supervise your
your child
child to
to ensure
ensure the
the toy
toy isis
xx Supervise
being used
used safely.
safely.
being
Maintaining safe
safe child
child
Maintaining
practices can
can substantially
substantially
practices
reduce injury
injury to
to children.
children.
reduce
Australian Standards
Standards
Australian
setAustralian
of
Australian
of
Australian
AA set set
of
Standards
Standards
applies
to toy
toy
Standards
applies
to
applies
to toy
safety. Look
safety. Look
Look for
for these
these on
on
safety.
for
these to
on labels
to assess
potential
hazardsand
and
labels
assess
potential
hazards
labels to assess potential hazards
and
appropriateness
for
your
child’s
age
and
stage:
appropriateness for
for your
your child’s
child’s age
age and
and stage:
stage:
appropriateness
AS/NZ ISO
ISO 8124.1
8124.1 –– deals
deals with
with structure
structure of
of
xx AS/NZ
toys
such
as
rattles,
small
parts,
sharp
points
toys such as rattles, small parts, sharp points
and edges
edges and
and hinge-line
hinge-line clearances.
clearances.
and
Possible Toy
Toy Hazards
Hazards
Possible
AS/NZ ISO
ISO 8124.2
8124.2 –– deals
deals with
with flammability
flammability
xx AS/NZ
of
toys.
of toys.
Be careful.
careful. The
The following
following items
items on
on toys
toys can
can
xx Be
be
hazards
that
could
cause
choking,
be hazards that could cause choking,
crushed body
body parts
parts (eg
(eg fingers),
fingers), cuts
cuts or
or
crushed
strangulation:
strangulation:
AS/NZ ISO
ISO 8124.3
8124.3 –– deals
deals with
with toxicity
toxicity of
of
xx AS/NZ
toys.
toys.
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
Small parts
parts and
and loose
loose parts
parts
Small
Fur
or
hair
Fur or hair
Projectiles, sharp
sharp points
points
Projectiles,
Gaps
or
holes
which
could trap
trap aa child’s
child’s
Gaps or holes which could
finger
finger
Small removable
removable attachments
attachments
Small
Realistic-looking
weapons
Realistic-looking weapons
Balloons
Balloons
Plastic spheres
spheres or
or beads
beads
Plastic
Long
strings
Long strings
Hinges or
or links
links
Hinges
Weak
stitching
Weak stitching
Poor ventilation
ventilation
Poor
Attached
toy box
box lids
lids
Attached toy
Small
batteries
Small batteries
Be wary
wary of
of toys
toys that
that
xx Be
make
loud
noises,
as
make loud noises, as
they can
can be
be harmful
harmful to
to
they
hearing
–
particularly
hearing – particularly
toys which
which are
are held
held
toys
against
the
ear,
such
against the ear, such
as walkie-talkies
walkie-talkies and
and
as
toy
mobile
phones.
toy mobile phones.
Age Guidelines
Guidelines for
for Toys
Toys
Age
Children Aged
Aged 00 to
to 22
Children
Toys should
should be
be washable
washable and
and non-breakable,
non-breakable,
Toys
with
no
detachable
parts,
which
could
be put
put in
in
with no detachable parts, which could be
the
mouth,
nostrils
or
ears
of
the mouth, nostrils or ears of
the child.
child.
the
Examples: Rattles,
Rattles, washable
washable
Examples:
toys, push
push toys
toys and
and pull
pull toys.
toys.
toys,
Children Aged
Aged 22 && 33
Children
Still look
look for
for toys
toys that
that are
are easily
easily cleaned
cleaned and
and
Still
without detachable
detachable parts,
parts, but
but will
will promote
promote the
the
without
child’s
development:
child’s development:
Check for
for ventilation
ventilation before
before buying
buying tents,
tents,
xx Check
masks,
helmets,
etc.
masks, helmets, etc.
Ensure ride-on
ride-on toys
toys are
are appropriate
appropriate to
to the
the
xx Ensure
age
of
the
child
and
are
stable.
Toy
bikes
age of the child and are stable. Toy bikes
should have
have effective
effective brakes
brakes which
which can
can be
be
should
applied
by
the
rider.
applied by the rider.
© Kidsafe Tasmania 2015
AS 1900
1900 –– deals
deals with
with flotation
flotation aids
aids and
and
xx AS
swimming
toys.
swimming toys.
Fact Sheets
Strength && Skills
Skills
Strength
Examples: Push
Push &&
Examples:
pull
toys,
3
wheels
pull toys, 3 wheels
scooters or
or sit-on
sit-on
scooters
toys
with
helmets,
toys with helmets,
wheelbarrow.
wheelbarrow.
Artistic
Artistic Development
Development
Constructive
Constructive && Creative
Creative Play
Play
Examples:
Examples: Blackboard
Blackboard && chalk,
chalk, large
large
crayons,
modelling
crayons,
modelling
clay,
clay, toy
toy musical
musical
instruments.
instruments. Check
Check
for
for small
small parts
parts and
and
only
only use
use non-toxic
non-toxic
products.
products.
Examples:
Examples:Plastic
Plasticscissors
scissorswith
withrounded
rounded
edges,
sand
toys,
medium
edges, sand toys, medium
beads
beadstotothread,
thread,
picture
picturepuzzles
puzzlesup
uptoto
60
60pieces,
pieces,building
building&&
Younger children
are
at
greater
risk,
construction
sets,
construction
sets,toy
toy with two thirds of
earthmoving
equipment
(front-end
child fatalities
on
farms
being
under
years of age.
earthmoving equipmentfive
(front-end
loaders,
bulldozers
and
Older children
5-15dump
years trucks,
presented
to emergency
loaders,
dump
trucks,
bulldozers
and
graders).
departments
with non-fatal injury more often than
graders).
SAFETY ON FARMS
Health and safety
problems associated with
Constructive
&& Creative
children on
farmsPlay
Constructive
Creative
Play
BABY
WALKERS
The majority
of Australian
farms are family owned and
Look
Lookfor
fortoys
toyswith
withsafe,
safe,large
largeparts.
parts.
operated enterprises. Children on
Large
farms can haveExamples:
an enriching
life, hollow
yet
canblocks,
also be
Examples:
Large
hollow
blocks,
nestling
jars,
pyramid
rings,
exposed to a variety
of
workplace
hazards
not
nestling jars, pyramid present
rings,
large
picture
puzzles
(3-10
at most homes.
Children
are
seriously
injured
large picture puzzles (3-10on
pieces),
model
trucks
Australian farms pieces),
and rural properties
year.and
model each
trucks
and
There is a growing
concern, both in
tractors.
tractors.
Australia
overseas,
about
the child
dangers
• Thereand
is about
one farm
related
death in
associated
with
the
use (Pollock
of baby
Australia
every
10 days
et al,walkers.
2007).
Serious
injuries
can than
result,
including
head to
• There
are
10 Play
children admitted
Dramatic
&&more
Imitative
Dramatic
Imitative
Play
injuries
to children
less related
than 12
months
hospitals
with farm
injuries
each of
week
age.
Two
thirds
of
injuries
are
associated
Be
aware
of
small
parts
such
as
loose
eyes
(Kreisfeld,
2007).
Be aware of small parts such as loose eyes or
or
with
thewith
walker
falling
down
stairs
oralso
buttons
toys
in
this
area
of
development.
•
Many
more
children
with
farm
related
injuries
buttons with toys in this area of development.
tippingpresent
over (e.g.
due to aDepartments
small change
in
at Emergency
of country
surface
level).
A dolls,
furtherPractitioners
20% involve
Examples:
hospitals
and to General
(Franklin &
Examples:
dolls, toy
toy
childrenanimals,
getting doll
access
to hazards
they
prams
&
Crosby
2005). doll prams &
animals,
would otherwise
not
be
able
to
reach.
houses,
houses, dump
dump trucks,
trucks,
Key problem
areas
identifiedhand
through the research
simple
trains,
simple
trains,
hand
are: walkers
..
puppets
&&boats
Baby
children
mobile much
puppetsmake
boats
•
Drowning
(0-5
years)
earlier than normal, enabling them to cross
• Injury
2 and 4 wheeled
motorcycles
a room
in associated
seconds.with
Children
also become
(5-15can
years)
taller
and
reach higher
Children
Aged
44 &&in55a walker.
Children
Aged
• Injury associated with other farm vehicles
As •a result,
they can
be(5-15
scalded
Horse-related
injury
years)by pulling a
boiling
kettle
or
hot
drink
down onto
• Injury associated
with farm machinery
Strength
& Skills
Strengthand
& Skills
themselves,
gain access to open fires,
Other
hazards/causes
injury on farms
include
heaters, irons and of
cleaners.
There
is asilos,
Examples:
Scooter
with
safety
chemicals, noise
firearms.
Scooter
withover
safety
heightened
risk and
ofExamples:
burn
injuries
with
gear,
bucket
&
spade,
simple
gear,
bucket & spade, simple
half
requiringinjuries
serious
treatment.
However,
from
these dopedal
not cars,
appear
rolling
games,
rolling games,
prams
&&balls.
prominently in injury
statistics.
prams
balls.
pedal
cars,
‘Real life’ Case
younger children, perhaps reflecting more leisure
activities
with inhorses
and motorbikes
and their
Ten-month-old
baby walker.
Child changed
Dramatic
&
Imitative
Play
expanding
worktipped
roles.
Dramatic
& over
Imitative
Playlevel before
direction
and
change in floor
mum could reach him; skull fracture.
Examples:
Toy
Examples:
Toy lawn
lawn mowers,
mowers, house
house
Safe keeping
Play
Areas
toys, small motor cars, farm
keeping toys, small motor cars, farm
clothes
&& toys
for
ups,
A safe play sets,
area,
as a securely
house
yard,toy
sets,such
clothes
toys fenced
for dress
dress
ups,
toy
telephone,
string
puppets,
garages
helps to prevent
unsupervised
access
of
children
to
telephone, string puppets, garages &&
service
farm hazards.
servicestations.
stations.
Child Development
It defines the boundary
between
the
“home” and the
“NSW
Safety
Laws”
“NSW
Safety
Laws”
Use
of
a
baby
walker
“workplace” - where dangers exist thathas
aren’t present
in the
home
and
stopsofof
aFair
child
from easily
crossingnew
that
The
Office
Trading
scrutinizes
been
known
to
delay
the
The
Office
Fair
Trading
scrutinizes
new
and
prohibits
or
restricts
the
sale
boundary.products
products and prohibits or restricts the sale
development of a child’s gross
ofof aa number
ofof toys,
may
number
toys, and
and
may require
require
It can
also
help
stop
farm Toy
hazards
from getting
near
motor
skills.
warning
labels.
categories
warning labels. Toy categories requiring
requiring
the children
(eg horses,
special
attentioncattle).
include:
special attention include:
The design
critical. A high quality
fence for a small
xx is Balloon/blowing
Balloon/blowingkits
kits
area is better
than
a
lower
quality
fence
for a larger
xx Disappearing
Disappearinginks
inks&&liquid
liquidsquirt
squirttoys
toys
area.
xx learn
Expanding
water
novelties
Children
by
interacting
with
their
Expanding water novelties
x
Flotation
toys
&
swimming
aids
environment.
Thischild
can&resistant
be
through
x Flotation
toys
swimming
aids tasting,
Don’t
assume
your
fence
is 100%
xx watching,
Inflatable
toys
and
novelties
feeling,
listening
to
or
copying
Inflatable
toys
and
novelties
effective 100% of the time – plan for the unexpected. A
xx Knives
––certain
toys
those around
them.
Knives
certain
toys
fenced house
yard/safe
play
area
should be supported
xx Liquid-filled
products
Liquid-filled
products
with active
supervision and family rules and it is
xx adult
Pop
Just because
aDomes
child attempts a new skill
PopDomes
always useful
to have resuscitation
skills.
xx mean
Projectile
Projectile
toys
does not
hetoys
or she understands the
risk involved.
Baby walkers
arecategories
designedareto
Some
within
these
Someproducts
products
within
these
categoriestheir
are
encourage
infants
to
discover
banned,
but
others
are
approved.
If
banned,atbuta others
are approved.
If inin
environment
different
height,
often
doubt,
contact
the
Office
of
Fair
Trading:
the Office hidden
of Fair Trading:
before doubt,
they contact
can identify
dangers
that can
cause
them
serious
injuries.
A child
13
1332
3220
20 Tasmania
Kidsafe
Kidsafe
Tasmania
in a baby walker
cannot see the lower half
www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
PO
Box
19
Claremont
of its body.
This
prevent 7011
the child
PO Box 19can
Claremont
7011
0417
381
learningPh:
how
to use
its721
body when out of
Ph:
0417
381
721
KIDSAFE
Tasmania
KIDSAFE
Tasmania
the baby
walker.
[email protected]
One prominent study of fatalities on farms found that
Research
obtained
one third
of child fatalities
were visitors to the farm.
Artistic
Development
shows
that
Boysworldwide
were killed
more
often than
girls (3:1) and threeArtistic
Development
quarters
children were
playing
at the time in an
[email protected]
Abbotsfield
most ofinjuries
from
baby
AbbotsfieldPrimary
PrimarySchool
School
Examples:
Finger-painting
Examples:
Finger-painting
Examples:
Finger-painting
Claremont
TAS
7011
area where farm work was being carried out (Franklin
Claremont TAS 7011
materials,
pencils, paint
walkers occurmaterials,
when large
the
large
materials,
large pencils,
pencils,
et al, 2000).
03
036249
62491933
1933
sets, plasticine
or clay. Onlyoruse
paint
sets,
plasticine
paint
sets,
plasticine
or
carer was within inches of
www.kidsafetas.com
www.kidsafetas.com
non-toxic
products.
clay.
Only
use
clay.
Only
use non-toxic
non-toxic
Thethe
Farmsafe
Australia
booklet
“Child Safety on Farms - A Practical Guide” has been the
child.
products.
products.
primary source of the information in this fact sheet.
© Kidsafe Tasmania 2015
Fact Sheets