Have a spooktacular Halloween

With little monsters across South Australia preparing to go trick or treating tomorrow, parents are being warned to keep their children safe with a number of dangerous novelty toys and accessories identified.

The state’s consumer watchdog, Consumer and Business Services, has inspected more than 30 stores around the state and checked online retailers and discovered a significant number of potentially unsafe Halloween toys and products for sale.

A large range of temporary tattoos that were missing ingredient labels were removed from shelves as was a button-battery powered light-up clown face, which did not contain the necessary warning label.

Several other battery-powered products purchased online were flagged due to a potential risk with unsecured button battery compartments. By law, these are required to be secured such as with a screw to ensure its resistant to being opened by young children. Other products were missing necessary warning labels, which must be attached to the product via either a sticker or a tag.

These include:

• LED Wreath Halloween Crown Flower Light Up Headband (non-compliant with both standards)
• Small lantern hanging decoration (non-compliant with both standards)
• Light Up Angel Feather Halo Headband (non-compliant with both standards)
• LED light up Witch Ghost (non-compliant with both standards)
• Halloween LED candle (non-compliant with both standards)
• LED Light Halloween Trick or Treat Bucket Pumpkin Candy Bags (non-compliant with information standard only – labelling)
• LED Ghost Halloween Decoration (non-compliant with information standard only – labelling)

In addition to presenting a choking risk, button batteries can also cause a chemical reaction that burns through tissue causing catastrophic bleeding if swallowed.

The flat, round cells are responsible for serious injuries and deaths with it estimated that approximately 20 emergency department visits nationally each week are as a result of swallowing button batteries.

Parents should check that any toys or costumes that are battery operated have a secured battery compartment fastened with a screw to ensure it is safe.

Other tips for a fun and spooky night include checking:

If you’re trick or treating in dark coloured costumes, add glow sticks or a reflective strip to your costumes and carry a torch to ensure drivers and other trick-or-treaters can see you.

Also take care around open heat sources and check costume labels for their fire risk. Look for items that state they are ‘flame resistant’ or ‘fire resistant’ or ensure that warning labels are adhered to, e.g. ‘Warning! Keep away from flame’ or ‘Warning! Keep away from fire’. All items can burn so ensure you watch out for open heat sources such as jack-o-lanterns, fireplaces, heaters and candles.

When completing your look with fake tattoos, face paint, makeup, or fake blood, ensure they come with ingredient labels and keep them handy throughout the night. If someone in your group has an allergic reaction to a product, having a list of ingredients available for doctors can save them vital time when determining how to treat them.

If you suspect a child has swallowed or inserted a button battery, immediately call Triple Zero (000).

For more information on Halloween safety, visit cbs.sa.gov.au/halloween or to report a potentially unsafe product, visit www.cbs.sa.gov.au/contact-us

Quotes

Attributable to Andrea Michaels

Buying cheap, novelty products online may seem like a cost-effective way of enjoying Halloween, however, many of these products are manufactured overseas and aren’t approved under Australian product safety standards.

Many of these items have loose button battery compartments, which could cause serious injury or even death if ingested.

Please check the battery compartments on any toys purchased as well as keep an eye out for any other potential choking or fire hazards especially if you have purchased online.

Halloween is such a fun night for kids and these safety tips will help our little monsters stay safe.