Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs Minister, Chris Bowen MP, today reminded parents and infant and nursery product suppliers that the new mandatory safety standard for children's portable folding cots comes into effect this Sunday, 1 March 2009.
Minister Bowen said the new mandatory standard goes a long way towards making portacots safe. But he warned parents and carers to take extra care when using portable cots.
"All suppliers - importers, wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and hirer companies - have a vital role in minimising the risk of death and injuries associated with unsafe or misused portable cots," Mr Bowen said.
"The new mandatory safety standard prescribes safety and information features designed to reduce the risks of falls and suffocation.
"There are specified construction and performance requirements to prevent children from climbing up and falling out of portable cots and to reduce the risk of these folding cots collapsing on infants.
"There are also construction, performance, labelling and instruction requirements to prevent use of excessive or inappropriate bedding that can trap sleeping infants and block their airways."
The Australian National Coroners Information System (NCIS) has recorded 25 infant deaths associated with children's cots since January 2000. Although these records do not always indicate the type of cot used in each incident, it is believed eight of these deaths were associated with portable folding cots, often called and 'portacots'.
In most cases the cause of death was suffocation after the infant became trapped in or excessive or inappropriate bedding.
Coroners generally found that parents and carers lacked detailed instructions for setting up folding cots, securing locking devices, removing toys and objects that infants can climb up on and removing excess bedding. The use of extra mattresses that cause gaps that can trap and suffocate infants was of particular concern.
In one incident, an infant was strangled after becoming tangled in a blind cord that was within easy reach of the portacot.
"These cots are not designed for permanent sleeping, so parents and carers may not get much practice using them," he said
"Whenever you are using a portacot, whether you are on a family holiday or temporarily caring for a child in your home, you must take these simple steps to avoid injuries:
- always follow instructions for setting up the cot
- only use one snug fitting mattress
- check all latches and locks are secure before placing the child in the portable cot
- never use bumpers, excessive bedding or toys in a place where infants are sleeping, and
- set the cot up in a spot where blind and curtain cords are out of reach.
Details about the new portable cot standard are available at www.accc.gov.au or by calling the ACCC on 1300 302 502.