reasonable period. The requirement that the packages be difficult for children under five years of age to obtain a toxic amount from within a reasonable time does not necessarily mean that all such children will be unable to open or otherwise obtain a toxic amount. Of course, the packaging standard cannot be such that normal adults are unable to use the product. Special packaging can also include packaging which limits the amount children will be able to ingest, such as strip packaging or bottle caps that permit only a few drops at a time. The Secretary

Some squeeze toys have easily removable squeakers which children may pull out and put in their mouths.

Noise-making rattles of flimsy plastic can be broken easily to expose wire prongs which can puncture skin or

jab eyes.

Playing Safe In Toyland

by Carol Young

Carol Young is a staff writer in the Bureau of Product Safety.

Gifts of toys are tokens of love. It is important that they be chosen with care. It is tragic when a toy, meant to bring happiness, seriously injures a child.

Protecting children from unsafe toys is one of the responsibilities of FDA's Bureau of Product Safety. The Child Protection and Toy Safety Act of 1969-which became effective in January 1970-empowers the Food and Drug Administration to remove and keep from the market toys and other children's products with electrical, mechanical, and thermal hazards.

How big is the hazardous toy problem? How many children are injured? Toy-associated injuries accounted for less than 5 percent of over 120,000 reported injuries in and around the home compiled for a year's period from FDA's injury surveillance system. This system includes reports from 130 hospitals in 31 States.

Bicycles were involved in the majority of the toy-associated injury cases. Other vehicle-type toys, such as roller skates, sleds, and tricycles were linked with most of the rest of these injuries. Dolls, homemaker items such as toy stoves and irons, stuffed animals, chemistry sets, and molding equipment accounted for

cases.

Almost half of the total reported injuries to persons involved live animals, personal use items, and environmental factors. Next in number were injuries associated with buildings and their fixtures and furnishings.

No law can protect a child completely from all dangers. Complete surveillance of the toy market is impractical due to its size. There are approximately 1,200 toy manufacturers in the country producing an estimated $2.5 to $3 billion in toys each year and there are approximately 83,000 entries of imported toys each year.

With limited money and manpower resources diverted from other product safety programs to toy safety activities, FDA has obtained voluntary modifications or removal of

tion, about twice this number are now under investigation for possible voluntary action. FDA also conducted a retail level toy survey across the country in December which resulted in the banning of 39 toys from sale.

Protecting children from unsafe toys is a parental as well as a governmental responsibility. Consumers should exercise sound buying judgment. Consideration should be given to the age and size of the child, his ability, and the area in which he plays with his toys. The ages of other children in the family also should be considered. A toy that is safe for one child may be dangerous in the hands of an unsupervised and less skillful younger brother or sister.

Toy buyers in the family should reject those with obvious hazardssharp points; rough or unfinished

surfaces; small, detachable parts that may be swallowed; brittle plastic or glass that breaks easily and leaves sharp edges that may cut; poorly constructed toys with sharp spikes or pins that are exposed when the toy is pulled apart by a curious child; toys with triggers, gears, or other parts activated by a spring or motor that may pinch fingers or catch hair.

Toys that feature exposed flame in use or are made of combustible materials should be avoided. Chemistry sets, rocket kits, and similar toys should be bought only for children old enough to handle them wisely. The minimum age recommended by the manufacturers of such toys should be heeded.

Since wires can wear through, electric toys such as trains and "home appliances" for little girls should be checked periodically. Such toys should not be purchased for the

very young. A child should be shown how to insert a plug safely into an electrical outlet and how to unplug the cord.

Special care must be taken with toys that have trailing loops and cords. A child should be taught never to put these loops or cords around him in such a way that they may trip or choke him. Toy arrows should be tipped with some soft substance that cannot be removed. Care must be taken with suction tips. They can come off and expose dangerously sharp ends.

Care also must be taken with balloons-they can choke a child if accidentally taken into the windpipe. Whistles and toy instruments should not have parts (mouthpieces, for example) that can be easily detached. Children should be taught to sit or stand still when playing toy musical instruments. A push or fall can cause

serious mouth or throat injury.

A large number of bicycle injuries result from misuse and could be prevented if parents took the time to teach their children some of the commonsense rules for riding. Bicycle riders should be taught to obey all appropriate traffic regulations, lights, stop signs, and one-way streets; to slow down at intersections, look both ways, and proceed with caution; to give pedestrians the right-of-way; to ride single and single file; to "play it straight" in traffic and leave stunt riding and racing for open areas free of traffic; and to never hitch a ride on other vehicles.

In a special study conducted on bicycle injuries, "horseplay" and colliding with obstructions were the two leading factors found to contribute leading factors found to contribute to accidental injuries among the group studied.

Parents should make certain that

a bicycle is the right size for the child to handle properly and that it's equipped with headlight and reflector, if it's to be ridden after dark. It also should have a bell or horn, chain guard, brakes, pump, and mirror. And it should be kept in good condition.

FDA currently is developing safety standards for electrical, mechanical, and thermal toys and will insure compliance by monitoring factories and retail outlets where toys are sold. The Agency also is working with manufacturers to correct possible structural or design hazards reported by consumers.

With these activities, and with consumers exercising sound judgment in making their selections, and giving proper instruction to children to use toys and games as they were intended to be used, toys can be the source of enjoyment instead of tears.