Facts for Garage Sale Vendors (Fact Sheet)
2007
ISBN: 978-0-662-49985-5
Cat. No.: H128-1/07-502
HC Pub: 4510
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 (141K)
Everyone holding a garage sale is legally responsible for ensuring that products sold, whether new or used, are safe and meet current safety standards. It is important to only sell items that are in good condition. Damaged articles should be discarded.
Before selling a product at a garage sale, check with the manufacturer to see if it has been recalled and if the problem has been corrected. If it has been recalled and the problem has not been corrected, do not sell the product. Destroy it and throw it away.
The Hazardous Products Act is administered by Health Canada. It has safety requirements for certain consumer products, many of which are intended for use by children. Under the law you cannot import, sell, give away or distribute products that do not meet the requirements of the Hazardous Products Act.
The next time you are planning to hold a garage sale, THINK SAFETY!
The following is a partial list of products that must meet safety requirements under the Hazardous Products Act:
BABY GATES - Baby gates that have large diamond-shaped or large "V" openings at the top are not allowed to be sold in Canada. A child's head can get caught in these openings and the child could strangle. To meet the regulations, baby gates must come with information that identifies the manufacturer, model number, and the date of manufacture.
BABY WALKERS BANNED - Baby walkers have been illegal to sell since April 2004. Anyone with a baby walker is advised to destroy and discard it so that it cannot be used.
CAR SEATS must meet the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. Before selling a used car seat, check with Transport Canada at 1-800-333-0371 or  www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/ for more information and to find out if the car seat has been recalled.
CHILDREN'S JEWELLERY - Lead is a soft, heavy, bluish-grey metal which is often used to make inexpensive jewellery. Lead is very toxic. A child can suffer from lead poisoning if they suck, chew or swallow jewellery containing lead. Jewellery containing lead which has a protective or decorative coating is not safe, since children can easily chew off the coating. If you are not sure if a children's jewellery product contains lead, it is wiser not to offer it for sale.
CHILDREN'S SLEEPWEAR - Loose-fitting sleepwear (including nightgowns, bathrobes, and loose pyjamas) burn more easily if made of cotton or cotton blends. To meet the flammability requirements, loose-fitting children's sleepwear should be made of polyester, nylon or polyester/ nylon blends. Cotton or cotton-blends may only be used for tight-fitting styles such as sleepers or polo pyjamas.
CRIBS - To meet the regulations, cribs must come with information that identifies the manufacturer, model number, date of manufacture and assembly instructions. Cribs made before September 1986 do not meet current safety standards and are not allowed to be sold under the law. It is also important that the mattress used in the crib fits snugly, with a gap of no more than 3 cm between the mattress and the crib. The spacing between the bars should be no more than 6 cm. Corner posts should be no more than 3 mm high. The mattress support must be firmly fixed to the end panels. Cribs that have a floating mattress support system with S or Z-shaped hooks are not safe. Cribs with visible signs of damage, missing parts, or missing warning information should be destroyed.
HOCKEY HELMETS AND FACE PROTECTORS sold in Canada must meet safety standards set by the Canadian Standards Association International (CSA). If the CSA sticker is not present throw the product away. Hockey helmets normally last for about three to five years. These items must not be sold if previously subjected to major impact, if older than five years, if showing visible signs of damage or if parts are missing. Hockey helmets must have labelling with the date of manufacture and have a chin strap.
LAWN DARTS BANNED - It is illegal to sell lawn darts with elongated tips in Canada.
PLAYPENS - Do not sell playpens that have protruding bolts, worn or faulty mechanisms, or torn vinyl or mesh. Playpen mesh must be small mosquito-type netting. When selling a folding playpen, ensure that all locking mechanisms work and set-up instructions are included. To meet regulations, playpens must be accompanied by information that identifies the manufacturer, model number, and the date of manufacture.
STROLLERS - Carriages and strollers made before 1985 may not meet current safety standards and must not be sold. Strollers must come with a lap belt, or safety harness that is solidly attached to the seat or frame. Ensure the brakes, as well as locking mechanisms on folding models, are in working order. Make sure that the wheels are securely attached. To meet the regulations, strollers must be accompanied by information that identifies the manufacturer, model number, and the date of manufacture.
TOYS - Toys that are in poor repair or broken, have sharp edges or points, or have loose eyes or noses are not safe and must not be sold.
Examples of other items that pose a safety hazard:
BICYCLE AND ROLLERBLADING HELMETS are designed to protect the head against a single impact. It is not recommended to resell these products.
DRAWSTRINGS ON CHILDREN'S CLOTHING especially on snowsuits, jackets and sweatshirts, can become caught on playground equipment, fences or other objects. Drawstrings on children's clothing should be removed prior to sale.
WINDOW BLINDS - The cords and bead chains from blinds and curtains present two main strangulation hazards to children: pull-cords, inner cords, and bead chains forming a loop in which a child can get caught; and long cords being wrapped around a child's neck. Products with looped pull-cords, and those without inner cord stop devices and important safety labelling, should not be sold. Inner cord stops are small, plastic rings knotted to the top of the pull-cords, to stop the inner cords from being pulled through the slats. It is very important to keep blind and curtain pull-cords out of the reach of children, regardless of whether blinds are new or old.
INFANT BATH SEATS AND BATH RINGS - It is not recommended to resell these products because the suction cups or other means to attach them to a tub can be ineffective. Additionally, many people mistakenly believe that these products are safety devices and caregivers may think that the product will keep an unsupervised baby safe in the tub. This is not the case since many babies have died when they were left alone in a bath seat or bath ring, even for a short time. Reselling infant bath seats or bath rings can be especially dangerous because any warnings and/or instructions that could have alerted a caregiver of the serious drowning hazard related to these products may be out of date or missing entirely.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Consumer Product Safety,
Health Canada
Tel.: 1-866-662-0666
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