Dubai: Dubai Municipality on Sunday launched a health campaign on safety of toys in Children's City under the slogan "My Safety in My Toy" to raise awareness on the importance of toy safety among parents and supervisers of children.
The campaign, which runs until October 12, is also aimed at educating the public on selecting toys appropriate for a child's age, and spreading knowledge about hazardous materials that toys may contain.
Engineer Reda Salman, Director of Public Health and Safety Department, said it is necessary to educate those who deal with children about the significance of choosing appropriate toys to protect them from risks.
The campaign includes a travelling exhibition in Children's City and the Union Cooperative Society, as well as distribution of publications and an awareness seminar.
Salman said Dubai Municipality implements strict control over the toys displayed in local markets through intensified inspection campaigns and laboratory tests.
He urged parents to ensure the soundness and safety of toys selected for their children and consider whether a toy was appropriate for the child's age. Toy suppliers and distributors should also be aware of the need to place age warnings in Arabic and English on the toy, Salman added.
Loose parts: Danger of swallowing
- Toys must be age appropriate. Any toys containing small pieces such as Lego bricks, miniature kitchen utensils, beads and other such toys must not be given to small children:
- Dolls whose parts like eyes can be separated and swallowed.
- Balls given to children under six years old must be at least 4.5cm in diameter.
- Latex balloons should never be given to children under 8 years old.
- Knitted and stuffed toys contain health risks if there is a hole in the stitching or if the sewing is weak. It allows the emergence of the internal filling material which can be swallowed or inhaled and may cause suffocation. The fur on cuddly toys must not come off when pulled.
Physical injuries
- Toy guns that shoot rubber pellets can hurt or damage children's eyes.
- Toys that make extremely loud noise can affect children's hearing.
- Toys that can be split into small pieces may easily be swallowed by babies.
- Cheap toys with badly made plastic parts can cause cuts and injuries.
- Toxins: High concentrations of heavy metals and chemicals in some toys affect the health and safety of children negatively. Read the labels of play cosmetics and avoid products with xylene, toluene, or dibutyl phthalate.
