OnSafety is the Official Blog Site of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here you'll find the latest safety information as well as important messages that will keep you and your family safe. We hope you'll visit often!
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By CPSC Blogger on October 28, 2010
Halloween may be a night of ghosts, goblins and scary scenes, but let’s all keep the fear factor in the imagination. Here are some safety tips for you to follow to keep the night a fun one:
Costumes
- When you buy or make costumes, masks, beards, and wigs, look for flame-resistant fabrics such as nylon or polyester, or look for the label “Flame Resistant.” Flame-resistant fabrics will resist burning and should extinguish quickly. To minimize the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves, large capes or billowing skirts.
- Purchase or make costumes that are light-colored, bright and clearly visible to motorists.
- For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape on the front, back and sides that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights. Bags or sacks also should be light-colored or decorated with reflective tape. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores.
- Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen.
- Costumes should fit well and not drag on the ground to guard against trips and falls.
- Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes. Oversized high heels are not a good idea.
- Tie hats and scarves securely to prevent them from slipping over children’s eyes and obstructing their vision.
- If your child wears a mask, make sure it fits securely, provides adequate ventilation, and has eye holes large enough to allow full vision.
- Swords, knives and similar costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.
Treats
- Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has examined them carefully for evidence of tampering.
- Carefully examine any toys or novelty items received by trick-or-treaters who are younger than three years of age. Do not allow young children to have any items that are small enough to present a choking hazard or that have small parts or components that could separate during use and present a choking hazard.
Decorations
- Keep candles and jack-o’-lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.
- Remove obstacles from lawns, steps, and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters.
- Keep candles and jack-o’-lanterns away from curtains, decorations, and other items that could ignite. Do not leave burning candles unattended.
- Indoors or outside, use only decorative light strands that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets.
- Don’t overload extension cords.
Follow these tips and have a happy and safe Halloween!
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2010/10/say-%e2%80%9cboo%e2%80%9d-to-halloween-hazards/
By CPSC Blogger on October 25, 2010
 Su bebé ha llegado y ya usted tiene el cuartito preparado: la cuna, la mesa para cambiarle los pañales, el monitor para bebé.
Pero espere un momento ¿Sabe si el monitor para bebé está en un lugar seguro? ¿Está el cable del monitor para bebé cerca de la cuna?
Si lo está, continúe leyendo:
La CPSC está alertando a los padres y cuidadores sobre los peligros que resultan de el colocar el monitor para bebé demasiado cerca a las cunas, moisés y corralitos. Los bebés se pueden estrangular con estos cables y de hecho se han estrangulado. La muerte más reciente ocurrió en marzo de 2010 cuando una bebé de 10 meses de edad de Washington, D.C. halo el cable de un video monitor hacia su cuna y se estranguló con este.
Independientemente de si el bebé puede moverse o pararse, asegúrese de que:
- Usa un monitor para bebé inalámbrico para evitar el riesgo de estrangulación, o
- Asegúrese de que el cable del monitor está fuera del alcance del brazo de su bebé, y
- Revise que no hayan otros cables (de lámparas, luces de seguridad, radios, y persianas o cortinas) cerca del lugar donde duerme el bebé.
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2010/10/mantenga-el-cable-del-monitor-para-bebe-fuera-del-alcance-de-su-bebe/
By CPSC Blogger on October 25, 2010
(Last Update: 10/29/2010)
CPSC staff is promoting product safety in meetings, discussions and trainings at the Trilateral Summit on Consumer Product Safety. CPSC is attending the summit with representatives from the European Union and China. We’ll be posting photos here throughout the trip.
 In the concluding session of the Second China-US-EU Consumer Product Safety Summit, the parties reached consensus on a Joint Statement that outlines steps and a timeline for improved product safety. Items such as a six-month road map for implementation of best manufacturing practices represent a major step forward in delivering safer products to U.S. consumers from China.  On Tuesday, Chairman Tenenbaum and CPSC staff participated in a Bilateral Meeting with Zhi and AQSIQ staff in Shanghai. Both sides voiced enthusiasm for the efforts being made to increase cooperation and enjoyed frank discussions on ways forward to address difficult issues faced by each side.  Chairman Tenenbaum and CPSC staff tour a commercial testing facility in Shanghai, China, on Monday.  CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum tours a childrens' clothing factory in Shanghai. The factory management described their current quality control processes and adjustments made to meet manufacturing requirements in the U.S and European Union. This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2010/10/photos-from-china/
By CPSC Blogger on October 20, 2010
 If a child, particularly those younger than 1 year old, slides through the opening between the stroller tray and the seat bottom, the child's head can get stuck. Graco is recalling nearly 2 million older strollers – The Quattro and MetroLite – because children can become trapped in and strangle in the strollers.
The strollers were manufactured before December 2007, before the adoption ofa new standard requiring larger stroller openings that prevent children from becoming trapped.
CPSC and Graco know of four infants who strangled and died in the strollers between 2003 and 2005.
Children, particularly babies younger than 12 months old who are not strapped in, can slide through the opening between the stroller seat and the tray bottom. If their heads don’t fit through the opening, they can strangle. Babies can slide both on their backs and on their stomachs.
Strollers made now are required to have an opening between the bottom of the tray and the top of the seat that spans at least 8 inches. That way, if a child’s body does slide through the opening, the head doesn’t get trapped. The repair kits for the Graco strollers connect to existing hardware and prevent babies from getting trapped.
The repair kits do not act as a replacement for using a stroller’s safety straps. To order a repair kit, contact Graco toll-free at (877) 828-4046 anytime or visit the firm’s website at www.gracobaby.com.
There are some safety steps you can take to prevent babies from sliding down in strollers as well:
- Make sure to use the safety harness EVERY time your child is in the stroller.
- Stay where you can see your child in the stroller at all times.
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2010/10/graco-recalls-nearly-2-million-strollers/
By CPSC Blogger on October 15, 2010
At CPSC, we take pride in the fact that the majority of the recalls we announce have no incidents or injuries and the announcement is intended to prevent incidents or injuries. When there are injuries with a product prior to a recall being announced, we take that very seriously and really strive to ensure that no one else gets hurt.
So, when we see a case where children are getting hurt after a recall has been announced, we believe that we need to speak up again and urge families to heed our warning.
It is for this reason that it’s time for families to pay attention in the case of some exploding jars included in a bath oil kit. Here’s the situation:
In January 2009, JAKKS Pacific recalled 516,000 Spa Factory Spa Fantasy Aromatherapy Fountain & Bath Benefits Kits. Pressure from the buildup of carbon dioxide in the jars of Bath Bombs/Balls or Bath Fizzies that come with the kits can cause the caps on the jars to blow off. In addition, the mixtures contain citric acid, which can get into the eyes during an explosion.
 Spa Factory Aromatherapy Fountain & Bath Benefits Kits As of last January, JAKKS and CPSC had received 88 reports of exploding jars, including 13 injuries to both children and adults. Since that first recall was issued, JAKKS and CPSC have received reports of 13 additional injuries.
Yes, folks, that means that when the company announced the recall, there were 13 reports of injuries, and since then, there have been 13 more reports of injury.
 Cap with vent holes There is a simple fix for these kits: a vented cap to be used in place of caps that don’t have holes in them. The vents allow the gas to escape from the jar. In January 2009, vented caps were sent to consumers who responded to the recall and were added to unsold kits along with a warning sheet.
Newer versions of these bath kits no longer include unvented lids; however, kits that included both vented and unvented lids were sold as late as December 2009. Thus, in many instances, this problem is up to moms and dads to fix at home. Simply throw away the purple caps that don’t have holes in them and call JAKKS toll-free at (877) 875-2557 to get a set of vented caps. And make sure you and your children read and follow the directions that came with the toy.
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2010/10/a-renewed-warning-on-toy-that-explodes/
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