The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) monitors toys and playthings under its Product Compliance Services Department to ensure importers and dealers offer items for sale that comply with labelling and quality requirements.
During this Christmas shopping season, monitoring of these items has intensified by the GNBS so that quality and safe toys can be placed into the hands of our young children.
Apart from the GNBS monitoring efforts, parents and guardians also have a significant role to play to guarantee the safe use of toys. Parents are encouraged to follow useful guidelines when selecting toys and playthings as gifts for their children who are the likely users.
Therefore, this Christmas season, we can make every effort to protect children from the use of unsafe toys and playthings by adhering to the following:
- Read the label. Warning labels give important information about how to use a toy and for what ages certain toys are safe. Be sure to show your child how to use the toy the right way. Also, keep the product literature on hand in case of future questions.
- Think Large. Make sure all toys and parts are larger than your child’s mouth to prevent choking. To avoid choking and other dangers, take caution with toys that can be disassembled by children into many tiny pieces.
- Avoid toys that shoot objects into the air. These toys can cause serious eye injuries.
- Avoid toys that are loud to prevent damage to your child’s hearing. It is better to select toys that have volume control. Toys are subject to safety standards that limit the sound level, but it’s a good idea to listen to toys that make sounds before buying to make sure they are appropriate for the child. Acceptable levels of sound are often a matter of personal preference, so look for toys with volume control to adjust the sound for your family environment.
- Look for stuffed toys that are well made. Make sure all the parts are on tightly and seams and edges are secured. These toys should also be machine washable. Take off any loose ribbons or strings that may cause strangulation.
- Buy sturdy plastic toys. Toys made from thin plastic may break easily. To ensure you get good value make sure that toys purchased can stand up to the rigours of the child’s play.
- Avoid toys with toxic materials that could cause poisoning. Make sure the label says “nontoxic” before you make the purchase.
- Avoid hobby kits and chemistry sets for any child younger than 10 years. They can cause fires or explosions and may contain dangerous chemicals. Make sure your older child knows how to safely handle these kinds of toys.
- Electric toys should be “UL Approved” or carry any other certification mark. Check the label to be sure as this indicates that the toys were tested for quality and safety requirements.
- Lastly, parents, age recommendations on toys can be helpful because they offer guidelines on the following:
- The safety of the toy (for example, if there any possible choking hazards)
- The ability of a child to play with the toy
- The ability of a child to understand how to use a toy
- The needs and interests at various levels of a child’s development
For further information on this subject, call the GNBS on Telephone number: 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp us on 692-GNBS (4627).
