Tough new national safety standards for children's bunk beds and baby walkers were announced today as part of a campaign to reduce the number of injuries linked to nursery furniture.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Senator Ian Campbell, said there was a pressing need to eliminate the risks of injury to children from walkers and bunk beds.
"There have been significant levels of injuries in recent years," he said. "It's time for new standards to be introduced to ensure these products are consistently manufactured to a higher level of safety."
Senator Campbell said about 3500 babies under 12 months were treated in hospitals each year in Australia from injuries linked to nursery furniture. A quarter of these were from baby walker falls.
"Not only is this level of injuries to babies unacceptably high - it also represents a significant cost in terms of emergency and other medical treatment and, in many cases, loss of family income," he said.
"It is estimated that the total cost of injuries associated with baby walkers alone is about $1.7 million annually."
Senator Campbell said that from November 1, all bunk beds sold in Australia would need to meet a new mandatory standard encompassing a range of safety features. These included bed ends and guard rails, elimination of gaps in bed frames so children could not get their heads trapped and banning any protrusions which might cause eye injuries or snag clothing.
He said it was planned that baby walkers would have to comply with a stringent new manufacturing standard early next year.This would require walkers to have friction bars to stop them falling down steps and stairs as well as bold warning labels about keeping children away from fireplaces and heaters and out of reach of stove tops and kettles. A separate label warning about the dangers of stairs would also be compulsory.
Senator Campbell said the addition of friction bars would go a long way towards reducing the injuries suffered by toddlers. "It's a simple but very effective device which clamps onto the surface as soon as one of the wheels of the walker goes over the edge of a step or stair," he said
The Federal Government has also launched a major consumer information campaign on nursery furniture safety issues.
More than 180,000 safety booklets have been distributed nationally through Amcal chemists as part of a Mothers' Day promotion and a brochure about bunk beds will soon be distributed through Forty Winks and other bedding retailers.
The information will also be available from consumer protection agencies and online at http://www.consumersonline.gov.au
"While manufacturers and importers are gearing up to meet the new standards, it is important that parents receive guidance on what is safe and what to be aware of when buying a baby walker or bunk bed," Senator Campbell said.
"Every parent or carer we educate about children's safety could mean a child is saved from injury. That would be a wonderful gift for Mothers' Day."
May 10, 2002
Contact:
Wayne Grant, Senator Campbell's Office
08 94211755 or 0407 845280
http://parlsec.treasurer.gov.au