Posts Tagged ‘safety’

Top 10 Halloween Safety Tips for Parents

Article by Nancy Stonecutter

There are accidents and incidents every Halloween that can spoil the holiday. Pedestrian accidents, tampered products causing illness or lacerations, falls, fires, etc. Here are my Top 10 Tips to keep your family safe this halloween.

Costumes. Make sure the costumes you buy are flame retardant. They should fit well and not be too long so kids can walk without tripping. Watch out for dangling strings, fringes, scarves, etc. When choosing a costume, pick ones that will be comfortable for hours of wear, and will keep the child warm enough for chilly nights trick or treating. Avoid costumes and accessories that are sharp or pointy.Be visible. Costume that are reflective or bright are best so kids are visible by car drivers. If the costume is dark, consider adding some reflective tape to the costume, treat bag, shoes, etc. Reflective tape and a flashlight can make your child more visible in the dark.Masks. Be wary of mask since they can obscure vision. They are usually difficult to wear for any length of time. Opt for makeup and hats instead.Pumpkins. Do not let kids carve pumpkins themselves. Let them draw faces or designs on the pumpkins with markers and you do the carving. Instead of candles, use fairy lights, Christmas lights, or the orange lights now available at many stores. Just carve an extra hole in the back of the pumpkin so you can bring the plug through.Your Home. Before the little ghouls and goblins start arriving, make sure your home is ready. Clear off any items on your lawn that kids could trip on in the dark. Make sure your walkway is clear and lit. Check that your porch light works.Pets. Pets should be secured in a back part of the house. All the excitement and noise can upset them. You do not want them getting loose, or worse – biting a child.Safety outside. Warn your kids about running across the street. Night comes earlier this time of year and motorists may have trouble seeing the little ones if they dart out. There are pedestrian accidents every year during Halloween. Use extra caution if you are driving.Safe Trick or Treating. An adult must always go with small children. Teach your child to only go to homes where the lights are on. They should never enter inside a home. They should never go off with anyone promising sweets or enter a car for treats.Safety in Numbers. Older kids will probably want to go without parents, but lay down some rules first. Make kids stay together. Plan the route they will take, so they can find each other if one person gets lost, and you know where to go looking for them if you need to. Remind them to remain on the streets: not to cut across lawns or through alley ways. At least one child should carry a cell phone.Treat Safety. Once your kids get home, go through their candy. Throw out any suspicious or unwrapped items. Apples should be washed and cut up into pieces or used to make apple sauce. Limit the sweets children eat. My recommendation is to give Halloween toys instead of candy. They are free of allergens and sugar; toys are fun; and leftovers can be saved for next year. You can also get inexpensive Halloween flashlights and reflective necklaces as treats.A little preparation can ensure everyone has a happy, and safe, Halloween.


About the Author

Nancy Stonecutter is a nurse who writes about family and child care. Visit her blog at http://www.NancytheNurse.wordpress.com for more information.

Special Report: Halloween Safety Tips

Article by Jennifer Lalk

Halloween is a fun and exciting time for children and adults alike. It’s also a time when accidents and tragedies abound.

The following is a list of things you can do to ensure that your loved ones have a safe and fun Halloween.

Costumes

- Flame resistance. When picking out a costume for your child, always be sure to look for ones with a “flame resistant” label. Make certain every piece of the costume, wigs, beards, hats, scarves, masks is marked as “flame resistant”. Flame resistant items can catch fire, but resist burning and are easily extinguished once removed from the fire’s source.

- Avoid loose, billowy and baggy costumes. Jack-o-lanterns and candles are a big part of Halloween decorations and pose a great risk to anyone wearing a costume that is loose, billowy or baggy.- Costumes should be short enough to not trip your child.

- Bright material. Be sure your child’s costume is light or brightly colored so it can be easily seen in the dark. If your child has a dark costume, add strips of reflective tape so motorists can easily see him. Reflective tape can be found in most hardware or sporting goods stores and is an easy way to make sure your child is visible.

- Secure scarves and hats. Not only do scarves and hats present a potential fire hazard when not secured, they can also obstruct vision. It is very important that children can see clearly as they are out trick-or-treating so be sure to secure scarves, hats or any other item that may obstruct their vision.

- Face paint or makeup instead of masks. Masks should be avoided for the same reason; they are often designed so that the wearer cannot see well out of them. A safer alternative is to use makeup or face paint instead. If your child’s costume just won’t work without a mask, be sure to get one that fits your child well and that the eye holes are big enough that the child can see clearly with it on.

- Safe shoes. Wearing mother’s stilettos may be a cute addition to a costume but presents a tripping hazard. Be sure your child’s shoes allow her to walk easily and safely and that they won’t cause her to trip or stumble as she’s crossing the street.

- Soft, flexible props. Make sure any sword, wands, scythes, etc., that are a part of your child’s costume is soft and flexible to avoid injury.

Trick-or-Treating

- Young children should always be accompanied by an adult or responsible teenager.

- Stick to familiar neighborhoods. Older children who are going out without a parent should stay in your neighborhood for safety.

- Never let a child, no matter what their age, trick-or-treat alone. There is safety in numbers, especially when going from door-to-door in the dark.

- Map out a route of exactly where your trick-or-treators will be going and insist that they stick to it at all times.

- Trick-or-treat only at houses that are well lit or that have a porch light on to welcome trick-or-treators. Never go to a dark house or one where a “no trick-or-treating” sign is displayed.

- Make certain to tell your children, no matter what their age, that they are not to enter someone’s house or apartment. And, that they are not to help an adult with anything, no matter what he or she says. If the adult truly needs help he can get another adult to help him.

- Always walk on sidewalks and use cross walks or cross at street corners. Trick-or-treators have been run over when darting out from between parked cars.

- Make sure your children know they are never to go down an alley or cut through an empty lot or field. They should stick to the preplanned route at all times.

- In order to see and to be seen everyone in the group should carry a flashlight.

- Tell your children they are not to eat anything until they get home and have an adult check their goodies. If your children eat a good meal before they go they may be less tempted to dive into their goody bag before you get a chance to check it out.

Parties

– Remove harmful and/or breakable objects from the party area. This includes candles or any open flames that could potentially cause costumes to catch fire.

– If using dry ice in the punch, place small chunks in a bowl of water and float the bowl in the punch. Dry ice contains chemicals that should not be ingested and can also cause burns if pieces find their way in your guests’ mouths.

- Check to be sure that none of your guests have food allergies before you plan your menu. Food allergies are more common now than ever and a bad reaction can put a damper on your festivities, as well as possibly risking the health of a guest.

- Play games that are age appropriate to your group. If there are a variety of ages in your group, consider breaking into smaller groups according to age and playing games accordingly.

- Avoid germ-swapping games to keep health risks at bay. While bobbing for apples and similar games are fun and traditional, they are also breeding grounds for all sorts of germs.

Pets

– Keep pets inside. Halloween is a dangerous time for pets. Keeping them inside and accompanying them when they’re put out to “do their business” will help keep them safe from harm. If you have pets that absolutely have to be outside, keep them in a well lit place where you can see them.

- If you have a pet that might dart out the door when it’s opened for trick-or-treators, consider shutting it in a room with food and water and checking on it periodically through the evening.

- Consider using artificial lights in place of candles for decorating. Many a tail, paw and face have been burned due to traditional candles.

- Keep all candy and wrappers out of your pets’ reach.

- If you’re hosting an adult party where alcohol will be served, be sure to keep it well out of your pets’ reach. While an intoxicated pooch may be humorous, a visit to the vet’s office will not.

Friday October 30th, Baer Insurance will be hosting a safe and warm Halloween Trick-or-Treat event for their clients. From 9am to 3pm, bring your little ones for candy, free goodies, and a picture of them in their costume! For more details, email baer@baerinsurance.com.

About the Author

Jennifer Lalk is the Marketing Manager for Baer Insurance, an independent insurance agency located in Madison, WI. Baer Insurance is a charter member of the National Society of Agents for Consumer Education (NSACE).

China suppliers up ante on product safety

Following a series of tighter consumer protection laws, makers are emphasizing product safety while contending with the high cost of compliance.

Faced with stricter safety regulations in key export destinations, companies in China are allocating more resources to product testing and emphasizing high-quality materials despite the pressure these are putting on manufacturing outlay.

For most suppliers, adopting complicated and far-reaching directives is not the main challenge, but the high expense of compliance is.

Many of the new safety standards require makers to conduct more tests on a greater number of chemical substances. As a result, certification fees for some products have risen by as much as 50 percent, and even doubled in a few cases. CPSIA evaluation for toys, for example, can cost up to ,000 per model depending on the complexity of the design.

The average toy company now spends ,000 to 0,000 on examination fees every year. One of the biggest toy makers in China pays more than .9 million annually on testing, much higher than the yearly revenue of small suppliers.

Lamp specialist Heshan Mingkeda Industries Co. Ltd spends about ,000 for SAA certification alone, which takes one or two months to acquire, according to the company’s sales manager Mini Yip.

In many instances, fulfilling safety requirements involves replacing infringing materials with compliant substitutes.

Suppliers of food-grade products, for instance, have already stopped using BPA, an organic compound found in many plastics. In a range of consumer goods, further modifications include the shift from PVC to POE, and from PC to phthalate-free PES, glass and nontoxic silicone.

Battery makers are striving to develop or source safer anode and cathode materials. Some have begun to replace conventional lithium cobalt oxide formulation with lithium iron phosphate, an alternative with lower environmental impact. Other efforts are aimed at improving protection against overcharging, discharging and heating.

But in most instances, “safe” alternatives are costlier than the originals. 3P PVC for instance, is 30 percent more expensive than regular PVC but is 30 percent cheaper than 6P.

Similarly, A5-grade melamine goes for ,200 per ton, three times as much as the same volume of the A1-grade variant at about 5.

In some cases, imported materials, which invariably cost more, are favored over domestic equivalents. Imported PP, for instance, is 20 to 30 percent higher than domestic versions, at ,800 to ,100 per ton. Overseas-sourced organic fabrics, likewise, are 20 to 30 percent more expensive than local variants.

Despite the high outlay, some companies prefer to source abroad for consistent quality. Foshan Geuwa Electric Appliance Co. Ltd sources 80 percent of materials and components for its blenders and juicers overseas, while the rest are purchased locally.

Besides higher raw material expenses, makers have to contend with increases in indirect costs, particularly those related with monitoring the supply chain to ensure that all manufacturing inputs meet specifications.

According to Tim Corrigan, president and CEO of the Quality Assurance Institute, “The root cause of the problem (of product quality) is control of the raw material, application contaminations and subfactories. To fix this requires an overhaul at many factories. The solution calls for significant transparency, diligence and dedication.”

Generally, material vendors are able to offer third-party certification. But for those that cannot do so, companies need to send their own QC staff to supervise the production at the material suppliers’ factories.

More exporters are now limiting their sourcing to suppliers that can provide certified inputs. Still, collection and documentation of every component utilized requires time, effort and money.

In addition to testing and materials quality, manufacturers are also enhancing their in-house QC facilities.

Lai On Products (Industrial) Ltd, a Hong Kong-owned maker of crayons, modeling clay and paint has set up a microbiological laboratory at its factory in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Certified by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment, the lab is comparable to a chemical-testing facility. The supplier also sends its products to third-party agencies to ensure compliance with ASTM D-4236 and F963, Toxicological Risk Assessment, EN 71, CPSIA, California Proposition 65 and REACH requirements.

Some baby stroller factories are now equipped with wheel performance, dynamic durability and drop-testing facilities. At the same time, many stuffed toys and children’s garments makers are purchasing more needle detectors.

Any measure to comply with safety regulations undoubtedly adds to the cost of production. Suppliers estimate material and certification expenses have risen about 10 percent in recent months. Many companies try to absorb the additional expenditure, but this is not always feasible.

While investment in facilities can be recovered in the long term, the same cannot be said about testing fees. When order quantities are low, as in the current environment, makers are often unable to recover money spent on certification of specific models. Shorter product life cycles due to fast-changing customer preferences also give manufacturers a narrower time frame to recoup compliance outlay.

Some suppliers try to negotiate bigger orders or ask buyers to shoulder the cost for certification. But clients are averse to both options in view of the current economic conditions.

Typically, tier 1 manufacturers are able to comply with regulations more seamlessly due mainly to their stable financial resources.

“Enterprises that cater to major OEM customers likewise have the easiest time adjusting to the new rules as they have better access to information,” said Cody Wang, chemical testing deputy general manager at Intertek. “They are usually able to make the necessary changes months in advance of enforcement deadlines.”

But for small and midsize factories that have less capital to invest in equipment and prohibitive testing fees, conformance can be a daunting task.

Testers can also be partners

The professional testing industry is booming amid the rising safety trend. With the increased need for product evaluation, the past few years have seen an influx and expansion of third-party laboratories in China, including SGS, TÜV, BV, Morlab and Pony Test. These organizations also provide free training on the latest regulations, and inform companies on which merchandise needs testing and how.

Regulatory agencies in the US and the EU have likewise been active in helping suppliers get up to speed.

Workshops on the new EU Toy Safety Directive have been organized, with the support of the EU-China Trade Project and the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission.

In October 2009, the third CPSC-AQSIQ Summit was held in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. With a theme of “promoting best practices by Chinese manufacturers and US importers to maximize product safety”, the summit was attended by CPSC chair Inez Tenenbaum.

In her keynote address, Tenenbaum reported that in fiscal year 2009, toy recalls went down to 40 from more than 80 in the preceding period. The information exchange between the CPSC and AQSIC about recalls of China-made goods was emphasized, as well as the need for frequent training sessions.

The AQSIQ has been educating China toy makers about safety requirements in the US and on strengthening quality controls. The CPSC has arranged to set up an office at the US embassy in Beijing to help promote compliance with US standards among local suppliers.

Local governments and trade organizations are also vigorously pushing companies to bolster the image of “made in China” products.

At the Canton Fair last fall, the Ministry of Commerce distributed export quality and safety manual to exhibitors.

Organizations such as the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade have been sponsoring seminars for business owners and local government officials on product safety in Southern China.

Regulations getting tougher

The safety bar that China suppliers must hurdle is getting higher by the year as new international and domestic standards are put into place.

In December 2009, the European Chemicals Agency announced the addition of 15 chemicals to its candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHC) under REACH. Among the inclusions were diisobutyl phthalate, a commonly used plasticizer, and lead chromate, a coloring agent.

REACH has wide-ranging impact in the EU as it requires disclosure of information on hazardous substances contained in every product. The directive is on top of specific regulations such as RoHS for electronic goods, EN 71 for toys, and Regulation 1905/2004/EC for materials that come in contact with food.

For toy makers, the CPSIA/HR4040 in the US and the EU’s New Toy Safety Directive or 2009/48/EC amend existing rules substantially and impose greater restrictions on suspicious chemicals. The latter regulation limits 19 metallic elements. It also bans 55 fragrant substances and warns against a further 11 types.

Other baby and children’s products and toys must pass the standards for EN 71, CE, WEEE and EMC in the EU, ASTM-F963, CPSIA, FDA and UL in the US, AS/NZS/ISO 8124 in Australia and New Zealand, and ST2002 in Japan.

Following the US and EU’s lead, Japan, Australia and even Malaysia are modifying their existing toy safety regulations, particularly on flammability and the use of phthalates and lead.

Lithium battery exporters have to comply with UL1642 for cells and UL2054 or FCC for battery packs in addition to EMC and RoHS. Designs shipped by air are also obligated to undergo UN38.3 testing. In markets where FCC, UL and RoHS approval are not necessary, passing the UN38.3 is sufficient.

For products that come in contact with food, companies have to comply with assorted standards such as UL, CB, CE, GS, ETL, CCC, FDA and LFGB. Most EU countries recognize Germany’s LFGB because of its stricter requirements.

Aside from international regulations, suppliers have to follow domestic guidelines for a number of goods.

Garment trimming makers, for example, need to comply with three sets of requirements for cords and drawstrings to be used in children’s clothing. Issued by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, and Standardization Administration, the GB/T 22702-2008, 22704-2008 and 22705-2008 are based on US’ ASTM F 1816-97(2004), the UK’s BS 7907:1997 and EN 14682:2007, respectively.

In addition, some existing national standards for trimmings have been revised and now have provisions that monitor and prescribe allowable levels for harmful substances that are even lower than European regulations. The GB/T 17592, for example, keeps azo content at 20mg/kg whereas it is 30mg/kg in the EU’s EN 14362.

Likewise, the China government issued a new standard for melamine-formaldehyde products used as food containers and packaging materials. This comes after several foreign markets banned low-end models due to potential chemical leaching.

The regulation seeks to ensure safety by prohibiting the use of urea formaldehyde resin as the main material. A1 and A3-grade melamine dinnerware pieces, which contain 70 to 90 percent of this substance, tend to melt at high temperatures and may cause a health hazard.

To ensure compliance with the safety code, the government has required suppliers to obtain a production license from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine.

This article was originally published by Global Sources, a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with China manufacturers and India suppliers, providing essential sourcing information to volume buyers through our e-magazines, trade shows and industry research.