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News

Christmas Toy Safety Warning

Shoppers purchasing gifts for children this Christmas are being warned by Poole’s Trading Standards team to check the safety of batteries in toys.

Tests on toys, carried out by Trading Standards officers across the South West using European safety standards, found less than half offered adequate instructions for their safe use.

Of 47 battery-operated toys submitted for testing, more than 53% of toys tested were found to have inadequate instructions for their safe use, and 29% failed the standard on at least one construction requirement.

In one sample, a counterfeit 'Bratz' toy car seized from a market trader by Poole’s Environmental & Consumer Protection Services Unit, a serious design problem was uncovered.

Councillor Don Collier, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: "It is very sad when a present turns into a tragedy. The advice I am being given is that batteries can cause terrible chemical and heat burns if not used properly. It is important that carers receive the correct information for the safe use of products used by children and I urge them all to follow the advice below."

Environmental & Consumer Protection Services issues the following advice for parents and carers:

· Make sure that batteries are inserted the right way round and with the correct polarity
· Do not mix new and used batteries or mix batteries of different types - always use a complete set of new batteries of the same type when replacing batteries
· Do not recharge non-rechargeable batteries
· Use the correct charger for the size and type of rechargeable battery and always remove rechargeable batteries from the toy before recharging them.
· Remove exhausted batteries from the product.

Trading Standards Officers will be visiting non-compliant companies and taking the appropriate action to bring their products up to the necessary safety requirements

Andrew Crossen-White, Principal Officer, Environmental & Consumer Protection Services, tel 01202 261732