of its proactive Christmas toy safety campaign Operation Safe Christmas 2018.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath said the OFT was pleased with the level of compliance and understanding of product safety laws shown by the vast majority of stores.
"Of the 4,968 toy lines inspected statewide, only six had to be removed from the shelves for safety reasons," Mrs D’Ath said.
"This included two toy machine guns which both shot projectiles with too much force and had protective suction caps that detached, creating a potential choking hazard.
"The third toy was a fabric giraffe that could release small parts, also creating a potential choking hazard for children under three years old.
"The OFT also seized three toys that did not have the correct safety labelling to inform parents and carers about the safe use of the products.
"These toys – a bow and arrow set and two types of foam mat – may be returned to sale if the OFT is satisfied the suppliers have rectified the products so the labelling requirements of the safety standards are met."
Mrs D’Ath said it was important for everyone to do safety checks when buying toys for children.
"The rule of thumb should always be ‘the smaller the child, the bigger the toy’. Toys that are labelled as unsuitable for children under three may contain small parts that could be a choking hazard," she said.
"If buying a gift for a small child, check for any loose parts. Anything smaller than a 20 cent piece poses a choking risk.
"Product Safety Australia has a handy printable Choke Check tool available on their website to help you assess the toys you buy or receive as presents.
"People thinking about buying projectile toys should consider projectiles or improvised projectiles with sharp points or edges, as they can cause blindness and other serious eye injuries if they hit someone.
"As always, it’s very important to check toys containing button batteries have a battery compartment that is child resistant and secure.
"Button batteries can cause severe and potentially fatal injury if swallowed."
Mrs D’Ath said unsafe toys should be reported to the OFT at www.qld.gov.au/fairtrading or by calling 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
Download or view a video of the non-compliant toys and Adrian Roudenko, Consumer Product Safety Manager at the Office of Fair Trading, discussing the safety campaign’s results here.
