Toy Safety Database

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

07 Aug 2008 05:30 AM

Are you worried about the safety of your children's toys? Massive recalls of toys containing lead have brought the issue of toy safety to the forefront of our minds, and many parents are concerned that this information wasn't available previously. Also in the news is the presence of certain chemicals in plastic that have been seen to interrupt endocrine function leading to growth problems and problems with adult reproduction.

Fortunately, new legislation and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) should help protect our children, as these harmful toys are banned from sale. Still, the law won't protect our children right away. It may take years until we have safe toys all around. The toys that you find on the shelves this holiday season have already been manufactured. Recalls are hit and miss. You have to constantly be vigilant to find out if toys and products you have already given your children have been recalled. Sometimes the recall notices can easily be found, sometimes not.

One of the great things about getting the CPSC finally involved is that there will be more information available. Previously, consumers were not told about injuries or deaths related to toys while investigation was underway. That is going to change.

The CPSC is going to create an easily accessed database where anyone can report product safety hazards. You could be a doctor, a lawyer or just a parent. Consumers and concerned parents can then search this database by make and model to get details of any issues with a toy or other product. Not only will this empower parents and help them protect their children, but it will probably result in fewer children being exposed to harmful toys.

Check back here in the Baby Blog. As soon as this database is available, I will give you all of the details including how to access it. In the meantime, you can also check back to this blog for important safety recalls.

Click here for more articles by Mary Ann Romans.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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