NSW: Dangerous toys identified in pre-Christmas blitz

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2006
NSW: Dangerous toys identified in pre-Christmas blitz

SYDNEY, Dec 5 AAP - Inspectors have identified 129 dangerous toys on NSW shelves prompting
Fair Trading Minister Diane Beamer to issue a warning to shoppers.

The minister's pre-Christmas warning comes as the Department of Fair Trading released
a list of dangerous toys found in 65 shops and market stores in NSW.

Some of the toys had the potential to choke, drown, strangle or electrocute children.

Ms Beamer said inspectors had found 129 unsafe toys - up from 76 last year.

"All the dangerous items found during the survey were tested by Fair Trading and then
ordered to be removed from the shelves," Ms Beamer said.

She said she was concerned the majority of dangerous items were cheap battery-powered
toys for children under three.

"They are easily broken and young children should not have access to batteries," Ms Beamer said.

She said 91 toys were found to be designed for children under the age of three who
could more easily inhale or swallow small parts.

Thirty nine battery-powered toys were included on the list of 91.

The list included eleven projectile toys which were classified as a choking or eye injury hazard.

Ten laser pointers and two laser pointer guns with a potential to inflict serious eye
injuries also were included on the survey.

A swimming vest which did not provide sufficient buoyancy put children at risk of drowning
while three water yo-yo balls had cords which could lead to strangulation.

Other problem toys included three inflatable or novelty toys with dangerous polystyrene
beads and a mini-cutter with a retractable blade which was capable of cutting a young
child.

More than 2,500 of a children's table lamp had been recalled.

The Chinese-imported Night Light Cartoons lamps, distributed by Australian Discount
Retail Pty Ltd, were voluntarily recalled.

Ms Beamer said: "These table lamps are shaped in the form of cute colourful animal cartoon
characters including mice, cats and elephants but they carry the real danger of electrical
shock."

She also revealed many two dollar shops had been inspected as part of the Department's
Christmas blitz on electrical goods.

"While almost all the major stores and discount chains had a clean record, most of
the offenders were either small independent two dollar shops or market stalls," Ms Beamer
said.

Inspectors have visited more than 145 stores, 250 retail outlets and about 900 market
stores to check electrical articles and gas appliances on sale before the busy pre-Christmas
shopping period.

Fair Trading investigators have forced eight retailers to remove 14 items which did
not comply with legislation.

AAP krc/klw/imc/bwl

KEYWORD: XMAS TOYS

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