SHOP SAFE FOR CHRISTMAS

Fair Trading Minister Margaret Keech today urged Queenslanders to consider safety first when stocking up on Christmas presents for children.

Mrs Keech said toys topping children’s Christmas wish lists were often the worst offenders when it came to safety.

“According to the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit trampolines and bicycles cause more injuries than any other toys,” she said.

“In 2005 almost 1700 bike-related injuries were reported to Queensland hospitals.

“If you do decide to buy a bike or trampoline, don’t buy half the present. I can’t stress enough the importance of safety equipment such as helmets, shin pads and elbow guards.”

Mrs Keech offered this useful checklist when gift shopping for young children:

• Inspect toys or gifts for hazardous materials, or poor construction.
• Be aware of smaller parts on toys and ensure that they will not come loose if bitten, chewed, or thrown.
• Be sure that plastic items will not be mistaken for lollies.
• Understand which parts of a toy may be dangerous – sharp edges, long cords, missiles (such as flying toys or prop guns) can all become dangerous in the wrong hands.
• Carefully read labels for toy age restrictions.
• If in doubt, ask to see the gift out of the box. The store should have a demonstration model available for you to see.
• Be aware of all children in the household. It can be difficult to keep older children’s toys away from their younger brothers and sisters.
• Be especially alert if purchasing second hand goods as these are not subject to the same mandatory safety standards or labelling requirements as new products.
• If you do not know the child well, consult the children’s parents for gift ideas. Every child is different and parents will be more aware of the risks.

“By alerting parents to what to look out for when Christmas shopping, I hope that together we can prevent the number of product related injuries to Queensland children,” Mrs Keech said.

For more information on toy safety contact the Product Safety Branch of the Office of Fair Trading on 07 3305 9614 or visit www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au

Media contacts: David Smith 3225 1005 or Sarah Seckold (OFT) 3119 0062