If you care for young children, you probably have many products to help you look after them. Parents often have questions about whether these products are tested for safety through standards or laws, and how they can learn if a product has been recalled. Product regulation in Canada
Under the Hazardous Products Act, a national law, certain products are required to meet specific safety regulations in order to be legally sold in Canada. Unsafe products can also be banned outright. Health Canada's Product Safety Program enforces the regulations under this law. Many of these regulated products are children's products, including cribs, strollers, baby gates, playpens and toys.
Many children's products are not regulated but may be covered by standards that manufacturers adopt voluntarily. Some examples are bunk beds and high chairs. Many products, such as baby jumpers, are not covered by any standards or laws.
Health Canada is not responsible for testing products before they are sold. It is the responsibility of manufacturers to make sure that their products meet Canadian regulations or the voluntary standards of their industry.
When buying new or used products for children, check the label to see if they meet current standards and regulations. Used products may pose a safety concern if standards or regulations have changed. Product recalls
A recall is a public notice that a product is not safe. Consumers may be asked to return the product for a refund, replacement or repairs. Recalls on children's products such as car seats, playpens and toys are common.
Health Canada's Product Safety Program does not have the power to order a compulsory recall of a children's product. In Canada, the government works cooperatively with companies to ensure that dangerous products are taken off the market when they become aware of a product hazard.
Here are a few steps to help you ensure that your children's products are safe.
- Check to see if your children's products have been recalled. Call the companies or visit their Web sites.
- Always fill in the product registration card and send it back to the company right away. This will help them contact you if your product has been recalled.
- Do not remove stickers on products such as car seats, strollers, cribs or playpens. These stickers provide important information--age or weight guidelines, model numbers, manufacturing date and manufacturer's name.
Health Canada lists information on product advisories in Canada here. U.S. recalls are listed here. Reporting product safety concerns
If you have a concern about the safety of a product, report it to the company that made the product, as well as your regional Health Canada Product Safety Office. Regional officers look into deaths or injuries related to children's products. They also respond to complaints and enquiries from consumers, industry and community partners. For a list of regional Product Safety Offices, click here.
| Page published on 2005-01-27 |
|
|
