Child Safety

CHILD SAFETY 2

Child Safety

Name

Institution

Child Safety

The CPSC Commission approved the publication of a proposed rule in response to the direction under section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and is based on the voluntary standard ASTM F1004-19 (Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Expansion Gates and Expandable Enclosures) with no modifications made.

In the standard, ‘expansion gate’ is defined as “a barrier intended to be erected in an opening, such as a doorway, to prevent the passage of young children, but which can be removed by older persons who are able to operate the locking mechanism” and an ‘expandable enclosure’ is a “self-supporting barrier intended to completely surround an area or play-space within which a young child may be confined”. Although the ASTM F1004-19 title and definitions include the word “expansion” and “expandable”, the scope of the standard covers all children’s gates and enclosures, whether they expand or not. As a free of charge service, SGS is committed to providing information about developments in regulations for consumer products. Through a global network of laboratories and offices, SGS provides a wide range of testing and consultancy work for technical and non-technical parameters applicable to a comprehensive range of consumer products. Please get in touch if you require more information.

Safety, Health and Welfare of Children Act 2005 should ensure that employers and those who control workplaces to any extent must identify the hazards in the workplaces under their control and assess the risks to safety and health at work presented by these hazards. Employers must examine and write down these workplace risks and what to do about them. Ultimately, assessing risk means that anything in the workplace that could cause harm to your employees, other employees and other people (including customers, visitors and members of the public) must be carefully examined. This allows you to estimate the magnitude of risk and decide whether the risk is acceptable or whether more precautions need to be taken to prevent harm.

Employers are required to implement any improvements considered necessary by the risk assessment. The aim is to ensure that no one gets hurt or becomes ill. However, it is important to remember that, in identifying hazards and assessing risks, employers should only consider those which are generated by work activities. There is no need to consider every minor hazard or risk that we accept as part of our lives. The results of any Risk Assessments should be written into the Safety Statement.

The main aim is to make sure that no one gets hurt or becomes ill. Accidents and ill health can ruin lives, and can also affect business if output is lost, machinery is damaged, insurance costs increase, or if you have to go to court. Therefore, carrying out Risk Assessments, preparing and implementing a Safety Statement and keeping both up to date will not in themselves prevent accidents and ill health but they will play a crucial part in reducing their likelihood. Employers, managers and supervisors should all ensure that workplace practices reflect the Risk Assessments and Safety Statement. Behavior, the way in which everyone works, must reflect the safe working practices laid down in these documents. Supervisory checks and audits should be carried out to determine how well the aims set down are being achieved. Corrective action should be taken when required. Additionally, if a workplace is provided for use by others, the Safety Statement must also set out the safe work practices that are relevant to them.

References

Kluwer, W. (n.d.). Baby products—CPSC proposes safety standard for children’s gates and enclosures. Legal & Regulatory. https://lrus.wolterskluwer.com/news/products-liability-law-daily/baby-products-cpsc-proposes-safety-standard-for-children-s-gates-and-enclosures/83025/

Safety standard for gates and enclosures. (2019, July 8). Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/07/08/2019-14295/safety-standard-for-gates-and-enclosures#citation-2-p32347