Here are some top tips for heater safety:

• Follow warning labels on all heating appliances

• Turn off all heating devices when leaving the house

• Allow for at least 1 metre clearance around the heater

• Anchor heater to wall or floor, if possible

• Keep heater away from flammable materials such as curtains and carpets

• Use guards for fireplaces and heaters

If your gas heater has a bad odour or a sooty and/or yellow flame stop using it and get it professionally serviced.  

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

Do not use outdoor heaters or charcoal heaters inside.   These are extremely dangerous and could cause carbon monoxide (gas) poisoning.  For more information visit Product Safety Australia. 

To make your house Winter Fire Safe see Fire and Rescue NSW’s Winter Fire Safety Checklist. 

Remember to check your fire alarms and replace batteries if needed.

Source:  Product Safety Australia

If hot water bottles are used incorrectly or if the bottle breaks then burns can occur including minor scalds or deep thickness burns. 

To keep your family safe follow these top safety tips:

• Buy a new hot water bottle every winter and follow the manufacturer’s instructions

• Never use boiling water in the bottle cover – it is not made for water that hot

• Use a towel or hot water bottle to protect skin

• Keep on one area of the body for no more than 20 minutes at a time

• Remove from bed before getting into bed for a sleep, if using to warm up the bedding

• Do not use on babies or young children

See The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network’s Learn to Stop Burns campaign for more information about preventing burns and scalds and burn first aid. 

Source:  Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)

NSW Fair Trading and Standards Australia have launched new standard to protect consumers from wheat bags with poor design and manufacturing and confusing or misleading instructions.

The new standards apply to all heat packs which contain organic filling and include products aimed at children, such as plush toys with a removable heat pack.

Heat packs can result in burns to skin or ignite into fire when overheated or placed in bedding material.  Never place a heat pack into a bed.

The standard is voluntary, but consumers who purchase products that meet the new standard can have greater confidence in the heat pack.

NSW Fair Trading will also be contacting suppliers and major retailers to encourage adoption of the standard.

NSW Fire and Rescue Commissioner, Greg Mullins, has welcomed the new standards. "We have responded to numerous residential fires due to wheat bags being heated for too long in the microwave, or being used inappropriately to warm bedding materials.

To read the article in full, click here.

Source: Product Safety Australia and Fair Trading NSW

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is taking action against two online e-cigarette retailers based on seller claims that the products do not contain toxic chemicals.   Recent studies conducted by the ACCC show that formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, both toxic, are found in the vapour.  For more information click here.

Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigs, are gaining popularity.  Liquid in cartridges is heated by a rechargeable lithium ion battery.  The liquid heats to boiling and becomes vapour which is inhaled or ‘vaped’.  Suppliers offer liquid cartridges in flavours such as fruit, chocolate and nicotine. 

While the sale of liquid nicotine is illegal in New South Wales (NSW), recent studies conducted by NSW Ministry of Health and the ACCC have found high levels of nicotine present in the e-liquids, even when the labelling claim to have no nicotine. 

This can be very harmful if swallowed, especially by young children.

Poisons Information Centre should be contacted immediately on 13 11 26 if you suspect a child has swallowed the liquid.

There is limited evidence on the safety of e-cigarettes and research indicates that they do not help people reduce or quit smoking.  New studies show that teens are three times more likely to smoke e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes.  This is a problem as the safety of the devices has not been proven and the potential for youth to become addicted to nicotine is high. 

For more information on e-cigarettes see NSW Health.

For help quitting smoking cigarettes or e-cigs call Quitline on 13 7848 or on the web at I Can Quit.

Source:  Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)

Button batteries are about the size of a 10 cent piece and can be found in very common items around the home.  These include:

• TV remotes

• Hearing aids

• Cameras

• Games

• Toys

• Watches

• Calculators

• Torches

• Musical greeting cards

These tiny batteries can do a lot of damage to children. How much damage can a button battery do to a child?  Watch this powerful video by CHOICE.com.au.  *Caution: link contains graphic video* 

Top button battery safety tips:

• If you think your child has swallowed a button battery call Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 or go directly to the Emergency Department

• If you think your child has swallowed a button battery do not let the child eat or drink anything or try to make them vomit

• Dispose of the button batteries safely (see batteryrecycling.org.au)

• Pass on safety information to others

Source:  Choice.com and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and Product Safety Australia

This is because of the systems, regulations and Standards in place that spell out safety criteria for items being sold in Australia.  Whether or not the regulations are mandatory, it is the responsibility of the seller to make sure the products are safe.

Some of the responsibilities that fall to the supplier include:

• Quality assurance

• Inspection of all parts

• Audits of factories

• Raw materials testing

• Staff training

• Pre-shipping inspections

• Final product testing and reporting

There has been a recent increase in businesses getting caught and prosecuted for selling products that do not comply with mandatory safety regulations and standards.  Click here for information of recent cases involving baby cots and strollers and children’s toys. 

Visit Product Safety Australia to find out what products have safety regulations and/or mandatory standards so that you are armed with knowledge for your next online or real time shopping trip!

Child safety is everyone’s responsibility, so be sure to look for the Australia Standard Certified Product tick mark label. 

If you are a business supplying products in Australia check the supplier guidelines at Product Safety Australia.

Some families look to save money by buying used products, receiving or inheriting second-hand products or…browsing the neighbour’s council clean up.  While this can save lots of money on baby items that are only used for a short time, it can also present possible danger for your little ones.

For example, the current Australian Standard (AS/NZS 2172:2003) requires the construction of cots so that children are protected from trapping an arm, leg or their head as well as strangulation, suffocation and falls hazards.

All cots sold – even second-hand cots – must comply with the Standards.  Look for the Australian Standard Certified Product tick mark label showing that the cot meets the standard. 

If you are buying or receiving a second-hand cot make sure:

• The spacing of the bars are no more than 95mm

• The mattress fits tightly - no gaps more than 20mm around the mattress

• The base of the mattress to the top of the cot is 600mm and 250mm when drop side is down.

If they don’t comply – don’t buy – don’t pass it on!

For more top tips see Kidsafe’s Cot Safety Information Sheet.

Source:  Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)

Product Safety Australia have announced that the interim national ban on self-balancing scooters, also known as hoverboards, will be replaced by a mandatory standard which came into effect on 17 July 2016.

This mandatory standard applies to self-balancing scooters. A self-balancing scooter is a two-wheeled ride on device with no steering grips, seats or handlebars is powered by a lithium-ion battery and rechargeable via connection to a mains power supply.

The mandatory standard, Consumer Goods (Self-balancing Scooters) Safety Standard 2016, replaces the interim ban on self-balancing scooters that do not meet specific safety requirements. The interim ban commenced on 19 March 2016 and ended on 16 July 2016.

Source:  Product Safety Australia

This course is tailor made for those transporting children on a regular basis, including:

• Child care workers

• Family day care workers

• Intervention support organisations

• Car dealers

• Hire car operators

This nationally recognised course aims to provide individuals and professionals with the knowledge and skills to appropriately select, install and adjust child restraints in vehicles. On completion of this one-day course, participants will receive a Statement of Attainment for one unit of competence for Course RSCICR301A.

Topics covered include:

• Child car restraint use

• Types of restraints and accessories

• Legal requirements

• Australian Standards

• Anchorage points and attachments

• Older and second-hand restraints

This course includes hands-on restraint installation!

To register for a course in NSW, call Kidsafe NSW at (02) 9845 0890 or %8F%94%B1%BA%BB%9B%BD%8A%8C%CDv%A7%96%A9%BD%B6%85%C0%BC%AFg%9F%E5%C5t%C0%BD%A9%7C%CB%AB%99

Professor Cass’s outstanding achievement and service to the families in our communities in preventing death and serious injury to children has been formally recognised.

Kidsafe NSW extends warm congratulations to Professor Cass on his well-deserved OAM award. 

Professor Cass has been involved with Kidsafe for approximately 20 years in various roles including National President, National Representative, National Chairperson, as well as a NSW Council Member and Chair of the NSW Council.

Apart from this demonstrated commitment to childhood injury prevention, through his lengthy involvement and on-going leadership role with Kidsafe's and Royal Life Saving Society of Australia’s governing bodies, Professor Cass has a highly respected, international profile in the field of paediatric trauma and has served as the Director of Trauma and Head of Surgical Research at The Children's Hospital Westmead since 1985.

Professor Cass, as an international leader in child injury prevention, has represented the Kidsafe vision of ‘Making a Safer World for Kids’ to the community via the media as well as to all levels of government through his work in public health advocacy and includes:

• Mandating child restraint laws to ensure that children travel safely in vehicles

• Promoting the use of bicycle helmets

• Supporting backyard pool fencing legislation

• Ensuring homes incorporate safe design aimed at preventing unintentional injury of children

• Reducing the incidents of children falling from windows and balconies

• Promoting of safe, creative playgrounds for children of all ages, across both rural and urban settings

• Building a custom-designed Kidsafe Demonstration House and Playground in the grounds of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead

Some recent product recalls are as follows: 

• The Educational Experience Pty Limited - Throw ‘n’ catch net

• ALDI – Hillcrest Chewy Choc Squiggle Muesli Bar

• ALDI – Lumina Electric Blanket (Re-announced July 2016)

• IKEA – Choklad Mork 60% and 70% (Chocolate bars)

• IKEA – PATRULL Safety Gates

• Country Road – Infant Pom Pom Sock

For a complete list of product recalls including children’s clothing, furniture and toys go to ACCC Product Safety Recall Australia - Kids

Kidsafe NSW is a not-for-profit charitable organisation. We rely on NSW Government grants, project funding, sponsorship and donations to deliver quality programs and resources to the community.

It is with this generous support that Kidsafe NSW is able to provide community education and injury prevention programs in the area of playground safety, road safety, home safety, and water safety.  It also allows us to produce newsletters, contribute to research and advocate for child safety.

If you or your organisation is interested in supporting Kidsafe NSW, please click here to donate.

Donations will go towards ‘Making a Safer World for Kids’!

We greatly appreciate your support!

Visit our website to find:

• Home, community and water safety information

• Playground safety information

• Road safety, including child car restraints

• Newsletters

• Information sheets

• Free downloadable resources

• Playground webinars

• Registration information

Kidsafe also has safety resources and products available to order, click here for a list of available products and resources.

Call Kidsafe NSW on (02) 9845 0890 from 9am to 5pm Monday – Friday to speak to our friendly staff and have questions answered by our child safety experts.  You can also email us at %8F%94%B1%BA%BB%9B%BD%8A%8C%CDv%A7%96%A9%BD%B6%85%C0%BC%AFg%9F%E5%C5t%C0%BD%A9%7C%CB%AB%99