For those that are not fans of Facebook this week has all been about safety.
It seems there are so many mixed messages out there and you the consumer can get conflicting information. So to clear it up from my point of view here are some important facts:
The Australian Safety Standards apply to all products made and bought, whether from a Mum, business or a store.
Some standards are mandatory: this means you have no choice about meeting the standard.
You cannot sell a product on this list unless you meet their requirements.
For a list of products covered by a mandatory standard look here:
To be very clear none of the products I sell are on this list.
If you buy something for a baby or child under the age of 3 please be aware that baby TOYS fall under the mandatory standard.
Here is the page with more details on what counts as a baby toy:
So if you have fallen in love with a handmade doll, teddy, comforter or rattle make sure it has been tested to meet the standard.
Toys that have been tested will have a label stating they are safe or meet the AS/NZS ISO 8124.1:2002.
If you are a business or WAHM who makes or sells baby toys you can purchase the
Australian standard here:
Penalties and consequences:
Supplying toys for children up to and including 36 months of age that do not comply with the mandatory standard can make you liable for heavy fines and product recalls.
Some toys under this standard will need to be tested in an approved laboratory.
As for the products I sell while still in the start up phase of my business I rang the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and spoke to the small business sector: http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/974257/fromItemId/970798
They confirmed that it was safe to sell my products and gave helpful tips and hints.
As advised if no mandatory standard applies they advise you to follow the voluntary standards which I do to the best of my ability.
As I have said on my blog and website one of the reasons I started making dummy clips was because I wasn't happy with what was on the market. I didn't like the plastic chains in stores and after purchasing 4 or 5 clips off other WAHM I realised most of the clips were too long or not made to last. I then went and purchased dummy clips sold in stores to see what made them safe and what materials they use. For the beaded clips I love:
Haba Clips: HABA pacifier clips- beaded
Heimess beaded dummy clips
These 2 great companies make safety a huge priority and it reassured me as a Mum that safety was a focus over looks. I then purchased ribbon clips on the market to see how they were attached, usually by sewn threads and the end had velcro. I hated that the velcro stuck to everything it shouldn't and wore out easily.
That is why my ribbon clips use snaps.
All dummy clips have a maximum length to reduce the risk if strangulation, if a child moved the clip or rolled over in the sleep it could tangle around their neck.
That is why they need to be short enough not to reach all the way around.
The metal clips are lead free in case a child sucks on it, we all know the dangers of lead!
As for my beaded clips all beads are non toxic so there is no danger if a child sucks on a bead, although they are not for teething or biting!
The string is 100% cotton so there are no hidden dangers....check the string regularly as they do wear over time.
If your child sucks on the string make sure you leave it to dry after use.
The same goes for the wooden shape attached with non toxic glue. Be aware that over time it may come loose or need reattaching.
Non toxic glue is not as long lasting as other types but I will reattach for free.
The wooden shape is also painted with non toxic glue in case it gets into mouths. You can request not to have one or to use the suspender clip like I put on the ribbon clips.
For my latest product the Harness Clip- there is no safety standard that is required on this product.
I have used it and sent it to many testers but as with any product it is a personal decision as to where and how you use it.
The dangers to a child are higher from them being in an accident with no harness on rather than being in a harness with clip on.
I hope this has answered any questions you may have but feel free to email me with any more:
I hope this has been an informative and helpful post.
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