Find out more:Keeping baby safe

A guide to infant and nursery products

Keeping baby safe is a guide to the safe purchase and use of infant and nursery products. This Guide has been designed specifically for parents but also applies to anyone caring for children.

While the information in this Guide is current at the time of printing, it is important that you regularly check for new product safety alerts, recalls and laws.

TO OBTAIN UPDATES AND ALERTS

You can keep up to date by subscribing to email alerts and other information you are interested in.

Additional copies

This Guide is available from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). To obtain more copies, order the Guide online: or call ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502.

Information in this Guide is also available as an iPhone and iPad app. Search for ACCC Keeping baby safe on iTunes.

For more information, visit

Disclaimer

Because this publication avoids the use of legal language, information about the law may have been summarised or expressed in general statements. This information should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal advice or reference to actual legislation.

Artwork, photographs and research provided by Consumer Affairs Victoria

ISBN 978 1 921887 89 5

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
23 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601

© Commonwealth of Australia 2013

This work is copyright. In addition to any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all material contained within this work is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence, with the exception of:

  • the Commonwealth Coat of Arms
  • the ACCC and AER logos
  • any illustration, diagram, photograph or graphic over which the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission does not hold copyright, but which may be part of or contained within this publication.

The details of the relevant licence conditions are available on the Creative Commons website, as is the full legal code for the CC BY 3.0 AU licence.

Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Director, Internal Communication and Publishing Services, ACCC, GPOBox 3131, Canberra ACT 2601, .

Important notice

The information in this publication is for general guidance only. It does not constitute legal or other professional advice, and should not be relied on as a statement of the law in any jurisdiction. Because it is intended only as a general guide, it may contain generalisations. You should obtain professional advice if you have any specific concern.

The ACCC has made every reasonable effort to provide current and accurate information, but it does not make any guarantees regarding the accuracy, currency or completeness of that information.

Parties who wish to re-publish or otherwise use the information in this publication must check this information for currency and accuracy prior to publication. This should be done prior to each publication edition, as ACCC guidance and relevant transitional legislation frequently change. Any queries parties have should be addressed to the Director, Internal Communications and Publishing Services, ACCC, GPO Box 3131, Canberra ACT 2601, or .

ACCC 06/13_639

Using the guide

Not all nursery products are safe

Many people think all new infant and nursery products sold in Australia are safe.

While most designers and manufacturers work to ensure products on the market are safe, from time to time they don’t meet safety standards.

New products regularly appear on the market. Sometimes safety issues relating to their design or use emerge after they become available for sale.

Many people also think hand-me-down and second-hand products are safe because they have been used by others without any problems. But these products can be unsafe and cause injury or even death. Children have died in accidents involving hand-me-down and second-hand products that were fragile, broken or misused.

Checking Safety

The information in this Guide will help you:

  • check the safety features in the infant and nursery products you buy or are given
  • use products safely
  • find and remove hazards around your home that can make these products unsafe.

The Guide lists a wide range of products used for and by children. Under each we list hazards associated with the product, what to look for (labels and standards) and safety tips you can apply. Where relevant, examples of labels are provided, as are diagrams and other information to help you choose safe products that you:

  • buy from shops, second-hand outlets or garage sales
  • borrow from family and friends
  • receive as a gift from family and friends
  • give as a gift to family members and friends.

Spreading the word

Show or give your family members and friends a copy of the Guide. It will help them select safe infant and nursery products. You might also like to order a copy for those who care for your child, including relatives or friends.

Keeping up to date

As new products come onto the market, new safety issues can emerge. It’s important to keep up to date with infant and nursery product safety alerts, recalls and laws.

You can get regular updates by visiting:

@ACCCProdSafety Twitter account

ACCC Product Safety Facebook page

ACCC Product Safety on YouTube.

Safe products

Every year many children in Australia need hospital treatment for injuries relating to infant and nursery products.

The ACCC and state and territory consumer protection agencies work to:

  • monitor product safety
  • educate consumers about using products safely
  • develop mandatory standards specifying particular safety features and/or warnings, labels or instructions that must come with a product
  • ban unsafe products.

Some infant and nursery products not covered by mandatory standards are made to meet voluntary safety standards. However when we have evidence that a product has caused or could cause serious injury, illness or death, we may develop a mandatory standard with specific safety features designed to minimise risks. Products with mandatory standards can only be legally sold if they meet the mandatory requirements.

Throughout the Guide, you will notice references to AS/NZS (Australian and New Zealand Standards) and ISO (international standards) on some of the product pages. Although these standards are voluntary, they become compulsory when they are referenced in a mandatory standard which is made law by the Commonwealth Government.

When a product poses unacceptable safety hazards and it’s not possible to make it safe, we ban it from the marketplace.

Relevant mandatory standards

Products with mandatory standards should be okay to use with your baby as long as the product meets the requirements of standard(s) and as long as you always follow any warnings and instructions for use that come with the product. These are designed to help you protect your children. You can subscribe to be notified of the latest information on product bans and mandatory standards by subscribing to receive email alerts from

As at May 2013, there are mandatory standards covering the following products:

  • aquatic toys
  • babies’ dummies
  • baby bath aids
  • baby walkers
  • child restraints for motor vehicles
  • children’s household cots
  • children’s nightwear
  • children’s nightwear—paper patterns
  • children’s portable folding cots
  • curtains and blinds
  • flotation aids
  • portable pools
  • prams and strollers
  • toys containing magnets
  • toys and finger paints for children—lead and certain elements
  • toys for babies and toddlers.

For the latest information about products with mandatory standards, visit

Relevant bans

As at May 2013, permanent bans exist for the following products because evidence shows they have caused, or could cause, serious injuries, illness or death:

  • baby dummies and chains with unsafe decorations
  • children’s plastic products containing more than 1 per cent Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)
  • inflatable toys, novelties and furniture containing polystyrene beads
  • jelly cups containing konjac
  • small, high powered magnets
  • toy-like novelty cigarette lighters.

For the latest information about banned products, visit

Recalled products

When businesses find their products are defective or unsafe, they often recall them.

You can find out about recalls:

  • at where you can sign up for email updates and RSS feeds (alsoavailable in a mobile friendly version)
  • in newspaper advertisements
  • on Facebook: ACCC Product Safety
  • on your phone by downloading ACCC Recalls Australia iPhone and Android app
  • on Twitter: @ACCCProdSafety

It’s wise to check regularly for products recalled from businesses and follow their advice if you own any recalled products. This may include returning the product to the business or disposing of it safely.

Second-hand products

Baby products are generally used for a short time and can remain in quite good condition, so many people lend, give away or sell products they no longer need. Many businesses also sell second-hand baby products.

Sales by private people

Product bans and mandatory standards don’t apply when you buy products from private people who are not in business. This includes people who sell items privately through garage sales, newspaper advertisements and the internet.

Sales by businesses

While second-hand products sold by businesses are required to meet current mandatory standards, it’s stillimportant to check everything you buy.

Tips for checking second-hand products

Pre-loved baby products that are in good condition and meet mandatory standards can help you save money. By using this Guide you’ll see that many second-hand and hand-me-down infant and nursery goods still have current safety labels and features. But before you buy or accept one of these goods, always check that it:

comes with full instructions for assembly and use

is sturdy and stable

has no missing parts

works correctly

has no tears, sharp edges or sharp points

has had no changes made to it that could make it unsafe, such as the wrong size mattress in a cot, or rough, non-professional repairs

has no history of being in an accident or being damaged

can be fixed, if necessary, by the original business that sold it.

Be careful when buying second-hand goods based only a photograph in a newspaper or on the internet. Usually you can’t check the safety of an older product unless you can physically see it, handle it and test it. If the product is damaged or has been repaired, look elsewhere rather than risk your baby’s safety.

Warning

Avoid buying, borrowing or accepting second-hand products that don’t have mandatory labels and safety features. Using these products increases the risk that your child could be seriously injured or even die.

Report unsafe products

If you have questions on the products in this Guide, experience an accident or near miss because of a product, or suspect a business is selling non-compliant or banned products, please contact one of the following government consumer protection agencies. Any information you provide may help these agencies identify problems and protect other consumers, including children of allages.

Consumer protectionagencies

You can use these details—or those found on the directory at ask questions or report unsafe products.

National

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
GPO Box 3131
Canberra ACT 2601
T. 1300 302 502

Follow us on Twitter:
@ACCCProdSafety

Like us on Facebook: ACCC Product Safety

Australian Capital Territory

Office of Regulatory Services
GPO Box 158
Canberra ACT 2601
T. (02) 6207 0400

New South Wales

NSW Fair Trading
PO Box 972
Parramatta NSW 2124
T. 13 3220

Northern Territory

Contact the ACCC
(see National for details)

Queensland

Office of Fair Trading
GPO Box 3111
Brisbane QLD 4001
T. 13 QGOV (13 7468)

South Australia

Office of Consumer
& Business Affairs
GPO Box 1719
Adelaide SA 5001
T. (08) 8152 0732

Tasmania

Office of Consumer Affairs
& Fair Trading
GPO Box 1244
Hobart TAS 7001
T. 1300 654 499

Victoria

Consumer Affairs Victoria
GPO Box 123
Melbourne VIC 3001
T. 1300 558 181

Western Australia

Department of Commerce
Locked Bag 14
Cloisters Square WA 6850
T. 1300 304 054

Further information

Kidsafe—The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia

SIDS and Kids

Contact SIDS and KIDS for safe sleeping information for your baby.


National office (03) 9818 4595
24-hour grief support 1300 308 307

Poisons Information Service

13 1126

You can also find contact details for these local agencies in your telephone directory:

  • local government maternal and child health centres
  • community health centres
  • children’s hospitals
  • metropolitan and country fire services
  • road traffic authorities
  • police
  • ambulance services.

Items not meant for babies

Antique cots

Babies are at risk in antique cots. These cots don’t meet modern safety standards—they are really only for show. Don’t be tempted to use an antique cot because it looks great or has been in your family for a long time: your baby’s safety is much more important.

Second-hand dealers and other businesses must not sell antique cots without the warning certificate and labels listed in this Guide.

Balloons

Keep balloons, including burst balloons, away from babies— they can place the rubber over their mouths or inhale a small piece that could cause them to suffocate or choke.

Banned products/products that don’t meet mandatory standards

Check the list on page 4, and product information throughout this Guide, to make sure your children are never exposed to unsafe products.

Batteries for toys

Make sure batteries for mobiles, musical toys, toys with moving parts and night lights are enclosed and secure. Only adults should be able to open the battery case. If swallowed, small batteries can cause your children to choke, suffocate or become seriously ill.

Take extreme care when using products with coin-sized lithium button batteries. Be aware that a number of household products, including bathroom scales and remote controls for televisions and garage doors can contain button batteries. If a child swallows a button battery, the battery can get stuck in the child’s throat and burn through the oesophagus in as little as two hours. Repair can require feeding and breathing tubes and multiple surgeries.

For more information on button batteries, visit

Bean bags

Babies can become seriously ill or die after inhaling or swallowing the small beads that fill bean bags. Keep these fillings, and any other products used for beanbags, away from your children’s reach. Never fill or refill beanbags around young children. Never put your baby to sleep on bean bags—the small beans can form around the face and smother the baby.

Bunk beds

The suitable minimum age to use a bunk bed can vary greatly depending on your child's maturity and development. It’s generally not recommended that you use the upper bunk bed or an elevated bed for children under nine years of age and definitely not for children under six years old. Children have been seriously injured when falling from bunk beds; falls represent over 75percent of injury incidents that occur with bunks or elevated beds. Children under six account for more than 50percent of the total injuries with these products.

Serious injuries can also occur if the bunk bed is poorly made or inappropriately used. Your children could:

  • get concussions and/or fractures after falling from an upper bed or ladder—falls are the most common cause of injury and can be fatal
  • strangle or accidentally hang themselves if their head or neck gets caught between gaps in and around the bunk bed, or if their clothing gets snagged on parts of the bed
  • injure their head, arms and/or legs if these become trapped in gaps in the bunk bed structure.

To prevent these injuries, never allow your children—no matter how old they are—to play on bunk beds. Make sure bunk beds have guard rails on both sides and ends, even if one side is against a wall. Remove access ladders when not in use so small children cannot climb on them. Place the bunk bed at least two metres away from any ceiling fan and away from other hazards like windows, or blind or curtain cords.

Educate and inform your children about the dangers of playing on bunks or elevated beds.

Cot and bed restraints

Cot and bed restraints used to secure your children with ties or straps can strangle them. Don’t use these types of restraints unless advised to do so by a medical practitioner, and be sure to follow all instructions for safe use.

Disposable cigarette lighters

Always keep cigarette lighters out of your children’s reach and follow their warning instructions. Never allow children of any age to play with, or operate, cigarette lighters.

Domestic treadmills

Domestic treadmills are meant for adults, not for children.

Children have been taken to hospital to be treated for: