The most dangerous kids toys that could lead to injury – or death
A new international survey released by civil group, World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH), has listed the most dangerous toys sold in 2017.
According to Kirstie Haslam, partner at DSC Attorneys, an alarming number of dangerous children’s toys are available on store shelves and online, which could result in personal injuries and even, in extreme cases, deaths.
WATCH is an NGO that was created 45 years ago to monitor and prevent these kinds of accidents by highlighting which toys have the potential to hurt children.
Haslam noted that many of the dangerous toys mentioned in the report are readily available in store and online in South Africa.
Its 2017 list named:
Hallmark’s Itty Bittys Baby Stacking Toy
This Disney branded toy consists of plush stackable rattling rings. The rings have fabric hats and bows that detach too easily, becoming a choking hazard.
Tolo Toys’ Pull Along Pony
This plastic pull along pony has a cord that exceeds the allowable length. This poses a strangulation or entanglement risk to children.
Mattel’s Wonder Woman Battle-Action Sword
This sword is made from rigid plastic that can cause facial injuries when children are play fighting with them.
Kipp Brothers’ Hand Fidgetz Spinners
Most fidget spinners have detachable rings that can become a choking hazard once removed from the spinner.
Mattel’s Spiderman Spider-Drone (Official Movie Edition)
This drone has high-speed rotating blades that can cause serious injury to fingers, eyes and faces.
Hasbro’s Nerf Zombie Strike Deadbolt Crossbow
Designed specifically to fire projectiles, this “crossbow” poses a risk of eye and facial injuries.
Slackers Slackline Classic Series Kit
This acrobatic kit is marketed as 5+ but the potential for injuries from falls is very high with this tightrope-like device and the line itself could be a strangulation risk.
Plan Toys’ Oval Xylophone
This toy comes with a small, narrow drumstick that would be easy for a baby to stick down their throat, causing injury and obstruction.
Razor’s Jetts Heel Wheels
These strap-on wheels have a skid pad that creates real sparks when braking. These sparks are a burn risk as they could ignite hair and certain fabrics.
Melissa & Doug’s Brianna Babydoll
This doll has many small items that are removable and could be a choking hazard to babies and small children.
Haslam said that aside from avoiding the toys highlighted in the report, parents should look at types of toys that pose dangers.
For instance, choking is a leading type of toy injury for children six and under – and many toys sold for that age range often include small parts. Children still get these toys in their hands despite the warning labels.
Another type of toy that poses a potential danger are riding toys that are either ridden on the street or in a driveway. Here, they might be used in places where vehicles can’t see them.
Other dangers are in toys that use rare-earth magnets, where there are thousands of reported incidents of children swallowing these very strong magnets, which pose a hidden hazard because the magnets are strong enough to rip through the esophagus or small intestine if a child swallows more than one.
Tech products a growing concern
Commenting on how the landscape of children’s products safety has changed in the past 10 or 20 years, Haslam said that new technology presents risks that are not adequately addressed before the products are put on the market.
One example is the “hoverboard”, which are not considered toys, but many children interact with them. She says that the traditional hoverboard hazard is the fall hazard, but the battery packs are more cause for concern – they’re new technology that poses a fire risk.
In its toy recall report for 2017, Safe Kids Worldwide listed top toy recalls for the year based on their danger and number of units. Here, several models of self-balancing scooters/hoverboards, plush toys, and light-up spinners were included. In total, the list represented a staggering 3,605,310 units of toys.
The internet itself is posing a great risk factor in that digital sales of toys is poorly regulated, and has been described as ‘the wild west’. Recalled toys, or toys that have been found to be defective – not to mention person-to-person sales – are not well-tracked and are easily accessible through online channels.
Product liability claims
Haslam said that if you or a dependant is injured by a dangerous toy that doesn’t carry the required warnings, you might be entitled to claim damages and that under South African law, manufacturers, retailers, distributors and suppliers can all be held liable for damages caused by defective or hazardous products.
She said that the Consumer Protection Act of 2008 was introduced to safeguard South African consumers from flawed or defective goods, whether the goods are locally produced or imported.
“A consequence of the Act is that the onus is no longer on the consumer to prove fault or negligence in a product liability claim. The entire supply chain is now required by law to ensure that all products are safe for their intended uses.”
However, because of the complexity of this type of personal injury cases Haslam said it is wise to seek the advice of a personal injury attorney, which has extensive experience in handling product liability claims including claims involving injuries to children.
Read: New laws to charge VAT on software and other online services in South Africa
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