A market surveillance operation conducted by NSW Fair Trading in Sydney’s West has uncovered a range of prohibited and potentially dangerous children’s products on sale.
Fair Trading Commissioner, Rose Webb said Fair Trading officers had targeted unsafe products across 40 businesses in Sydney’s West and seized non-compliant toys, prams, and children’s nightwear.
Ms Webb said all children’s sleepwear in NSW must carry labels based on the fire risks associated with the product.
“Children sustaining burns as a result of nightwear catching fire has largely disappeared over the years because of design and labeling requirements,” Ms Webb said.
“Which is why we continue to ensure the market is complying with standards and penalising businesses that do not,” she said.
“Some garments are so flammable they do not meet any of the four categories and cannot be given a label and must not be sold.”
She said the Department was reminding consumers that children’s nightwear should be form-fitting and made of material labelled ‘low fire danger’.
“Loose clothing that makes contact with heaters can easily become flammable.”
Ms Webb said toys discovered during the operation failed testing for a number of reasons including the possibility that small parts could separate from toys during play or after reasonable wear and tear.
“Small parts can potentially cause suffocation, choking and even death.”
She said consumers who have purchased non-compliant or dangerous children’s items were entitled to a refund.
Ms Webb said if those consumers decide not to seek a refund, they should safely dispose of the toy immediately.
