Consumer Affairs Minister Chris Bowen has today issued a consumer warning to parents about the hidden risks involved in the use of treadmills, following a spate of serious injuries to small children.
The warning comes as a NSW Product Safety Advisory Committee report highlighted that there have been over 100 reports of severe friction burn injuries to children in Australia caused by treadmills.
The warning was contained in a statutory notice under section 65B of the Trade Practices Act, published in the Commonwealth Gazette today.
"This is a timely reminder to parents of the dangers that treadmills present to young children," Mr Bowen said.
"The warning is simple - keep young children away from treadmills.
"The risk of small children suffering severe friction burn injuries from treadmills is not easily recognised. But every year, an increasing number of small children (particularly those aged from 2 to 3 years) are unnecessarily injured when hands or fingers are trapped against parts of a moving treadmill.
"Significant long term medical intervention is often required."
The recent report by the New South Wales Product Safety Committee found that there was an urgent need to alert and educate users of treadmills to the hazards treadmills present to children.
"The ACCC is working with State and Territory consumer protection agencies to ensure that treadmill users are aware of the dangers and can protect young children from treadmill related injuries," Mr Bowen said.
"A Safety Alert brochure on treadmills is now being published by the ACCC, to help treadmill users prevent injuries to children".
The brochure will be available in hard copy or from the ACCC's website.
The ACCC is also consulting State and Territory governments, industry and other stakeholders on a proposal to introduce mandatory warning labels on treadmills.
It is likely that a mandatory standard will result from this process and this would assist in reducing the number of injuries associated with this equipment across Australia.