Toy safety keeps joy in holidays

  • Published
  • 56th Fighter Wing Safety
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  During the holiday season, many products will be purchased for children as gifts - the majority of them being toys. Will the children enjoy them is not the only question to ask. Are they safe is the most important.

Although toys have to meet stringent criteria set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to be approved for sale to the public, there are more the 120,000 toy-related injuries reported to the CPSC annually. To avoid contributing to the statistic, here are 10 tips from the CPSC to assist members in making safe choices.

Choose toys with care. Keep in mind the child's age, interests and skill level.

Ensure all directions or instructions are clear and to the child. Plastic wrappings on toys should be discarded before they become deadly playthings.

Check all toys periodically for breakage and potential hazards. A damaged or dangerous toy should be thrown away or repaired immediately.

Teach children to put toys away on shelves or in a toy chest after playing to prevent trips and falls.

Older toys can break to reveal parts small enough to be swallowed and become lodged in a child's windpipe, ears or nose. The law bans small parts in new toys intended for children under age 3. This includes removable eyes and noses on stuffed toys and dolls, and removable squeakers on squeeze toys.

Toy caps and some noise making guns and other toys can produce damaging noise levels. Avoid firing noise making toys closer than one foot from the ear and do not use indoors. Caps producing noise that can injure a child's hearing are banned.

Toys with long strings or cords may be dangerous for infants and very young children and should be avoided. The cords may become wrapped around an infant's neck, causing strangulation. Remove crib gyms from the crib where they can be used by children to pull up onto their hands and knees; some children have strangled when they fell across crib gyms stretched across the crib.

Balloons, when deflated or broken, can cause choking or suffocation if swallowed. More children have suffocated on these items than on any other type of toy.

Electric toys that are improperly constructed, wired or misused can shock or burn. Electric toys must meet mandatory requirements for maximum surface temperatures, electrical construction and prominent warning labels. Electric toys with heating elements are recommended only for children age 8 or older. These toys should be used under adult supervision.

Infant toys, such as rattles, squeeze toys and teethers should be large enough to prevent swallowing where they can become lodged in an infant's throat.

Understanding how to properly select toys for loved ones will ensure everyone has a safe holiday season. For more information about toy safety, call the wing ground safety office at (623) 856-6104, or visit the U.S. CPSC website at www.cpsc.gov

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