Toy supplier found guilty of ignoring product safety law

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe said a Liverpool trader had been convicted of supplying unsafe children’s toys and ordered to pay $1,579 by Parramatta Local Court.

Mr Stowe said PJ SAS Trading Pty Ltd distributed unsafe toys to two Sydney stores in Parramatta and Hurstville.

“In October last year, NSW Fair Trading inspectors visited the two stores and found on sale the children’s toy, Likeable Music Series – mini xylophone,” he said.

“Rigorous testing revealed the toy failed to meet the requirements of the Australian Standard due to small parts coming loose, potentially causing a choking hazard for young children. The novelty musical set is brightly packaged and consists of a guitar and xylophone and would appeal to children under the age of three.”

Mr Stowe said suppliers of children’s toys must understand their obligations under the Standard and obey the law.

“One of the most important areas of product safety relates to children’s toys and parents have the right to expect the toys they purchase for their children are safe to use,” he said.

Under the Australian Consumer Law traders face fines of up to $1,100,000 for corporations and $220,000 for individuals for supplying products that do not meet product safety regulations. The Commissioner said NSW Fair Trading would not tolerate dangerous products in the marketplace and would take quick and decisive action against anyone found breaking the law.

Tips on buying toys for children:

• Check for sharp edges or rough surfaces as they can cause cuts and splinters.
• Buy washable, non-breakable toys for babies. Anything small enough to fit into a 35mm film canister can choke a child under three years old.
• Toy chests and boxes should be designed not to close on top of children, or better still with a removable lid. Anything big enough to crawl inside must have ventilation holes.
• Read the age labelling on new toys. Not suitable for children under three means there are small parts that could be swallowed. It is not an indication of skill level or intelligence.
• Check toys regularly for loose parts that may be choking dangers.
• Check there are no gaps or holes that could entrap a child's fingers.
• If buying a projectile toy, only choose ones that have soft, one-piece darts or non-removable suction caps.
• Be wary of toys that make loud noises as they can be harmful to hearing, particularly toys held against the ear, such as walkie talkies and toy mobile phones.
• Check for ventilation before buying tents, masks, helmets etc.
• Ensure ride-on toys are appropriate to the age of the child and are stable. Toy bikes should have effective brakes that can be applied by the rider.
• Check toys that contain magnets to ensure they have not come loose. Remove loose magnets from the toy box.