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Tasmania’s building and consumer regulator, Consumer, Building and Occupational Services, has released Edition 2 of its Consumer Connections Magazine. As well as providing advice specific to Tasmanians applying for building approvals and lodging complaints against service providers, the magazine includes great tips for all consumers. Safety in the home, how to choose a suitable NBN…
Read More Consumer Connections Magazine out now
A nursing chair and a baby's cot in a nursery
An analysis of CHOICE test data has found key products designed for children still pose a risk as doctors, industry, experts and parents converged on Canberra on Wednesday to demand action. The data shows: Portable cots (60 tested from 2011–2018*): 98% or 59 failed. Strollers (163 tested from 2012–2019): 83% or 136 failed. Cots (173…
Read More Parents demand Canberra act on unsafe products
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The ACCC has begun a safety review of products designed for infants such as bouncers, rockers and inclined sleep products. The market review will be on inclined baby products used for sleeping, where the baby’s head and back are inclined, and may include a harness or belt to secure the baby into the product. The…
Read More Safety review of baby bouncers, rockers and inclined sleep products
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Children can suffer a range of injuries from unsafe toys. Make sure you buy sturdy and well-made toys that can handle vigorous play by children. It is an offence to supply goods that do not comply with mandatory standards, read more here The newly published revised and redesignated toys standard specifies safety aspects related to the…
Read More Updated standard on toy safety protects children
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Two years after a woman was electrocuted by a submersible pump in the backyard well of a Townsville home, the importer and online seller of the pump has been fined $1.2 million for failing to meet his obligations under electrical safety laws. Zoran Kacavenda, sole director of online business the Pump Factory Pty Ltd pleaded…
Read More Importers of electrical equipment are responsible for the safety of their product
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If a product is found to present a safety risk, it may need to be recalled. Recalling products identified as safety hazards can help prevent injuries to consumers. Recalled products may be entitled to repair, replacement or a total refund. Here is the current list of recalls. The ACCC product safety recall process involves: stopping…
Read More When a product presents a safety risk
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The Morrison Government has issued a safety warning notice to the public regarding risks associated with button batteries. Button batteries, also known as coin cell batteries, are flat, round, single cell batteries, used in a broad range of personal and household products such as children’s toys, hearing aids, watches, remote controls, digital thermometers and bathroom…
Read More Coalition issues button battery safety alert
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NSW Fair Trading has issued a public warning to consumers who own any of the following four identified heater models: Regency i31 supplied by Fireplace Products Australia Pty Ltd Regency F38 and FG38 supplied by Fireplace Products Australia Pty Ltd and the F38 and FG38 models branded and supplied by Masport prior to 2006 (excluding…
Read More Safety warning on open flued gas space heaters
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CHOICE says children’s lives are being jeopardised by business ignoring button battery risk, and are calling for an overhaul of product safety laws in the wake of recent tests which show manufacturers and retailers are ignoring safety risks posed by button battery powered items. “10 out of 17 button battery powered household items failed CHOICE…
Read More Button battery safety failures
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There should be a law in Australia prohibiting the sale of unsafe goods, ACCC Chair Rod Sims told the National Consumer Congress in Melbourne last week. Using new data the ACCC estimates the annual cost of injury and death caused by unsafe consumer products is at least $5 billion and could be much more. Excluding motor vehicle…
Read More Unsafe goods should be illegal to sell
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CHOICE has published the details of 18 products that failed the CHOICE pram test, warning Australian parents to watch out. The CHOICE pram test looked at 46 prams and strollers and failed 18 of them, with particular concerns regarding strangulation hazards with buckles and straps. The CHOICE review of the pram market follows poor scores…
Read More Parents warned: 18 products fail CHOICE pram test
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The trampoline park industry in Australia has grown from a few centres in 2012 to over 80 open today. With this increase in popularity comes a higher chance of injury, and a greater role for standards to play in minimising risks that might lead to such injuries. Read more here Consumers Federation of Australia (CFA) representative…
Read More New standard to help minimise risks at trampoline parks