How to avoid buying dangerous toys

Dubai: The Dubai Municipality is introducing a new search engine to help the public identify toys that are dangerous or banned here.

Sultan Eisa Al Suwaidi, Head of Public Safety at Dubai Municipality, told XPRESS that the search engine will serve as a ready reckoner on toys and will be up and running shortly.

He said: “We wanted to develop a mechanism by which the public can easily check if a toy is safe or not. This search engine will carry all necessary details including brand names.”

He said the civic body conducts regular inspections of toys in various parts of the city and issues updates on banned toys on its website.

The latest update shows that 18 toys were banned in one month. All except one were made in China and were found to be dangerous in various ways. He said retailers are held just as responsible as manufacturers when dangerous toys are sold.

Some of the banned toys contained higher levels of barium or lead than permitted. They included art and craft sets like Colour Fiesta by Amos and the Smurfs Dance Party Crayon Pen, which were found with excessive barium and a HAL SAL Miss Kool doll and a Qausini Dino World model with high levels of lead. “The levels are toxic if ingested by children and can cause adverse health effects,” Al Suwaidi said.

Many toys did not pass the safety test as they contained very small parts, undesirable materials or sharp edges deemed dangerous for children. They included the brand Alligator’s Fridge and Activity Magnets, a Combuy Super Shooter Pop Gun, a role playing toy Treasure Chest and a musical instrument called Bring Music, among others. “If you see this musical instrument, its components have accessible or sharp points and present risk of injury to a child. Besides puncturing the skin, the toy’s mouthpiece fits within a small cylinder. It’s essential that toys are not so small as they can be unintentionally swallowed or inhaled, causing a child to asphyxiate,” Al Suwaidi said.

He said parents should be careful in selecting appropriate toys and places to play for children. “It’s not just about small children and avoiding toys with small parts or dangerous materials. Even older children who use bicycles or skating boards are prone to traffic accidents and injuries. Hence, it is important to choose an appropriate place to play. Safety helmets, knee caps and elbow caps should be used.”