Issue Date:  -  Sunday, 29 June 1997

Mandatory standard for children's cots to be introduced

A mandatory standard for children's cots would soon be introduced across Australia, Fair Trading Minister Doug Shave said today.

Mr Shave said that he expected formal agreement in August between all State Governments on the standard, which would ensure that all new cots were manufactured to the correct standard.

Separate testing programs, including one by the Federal Bureau of Consumer Affairs, showed that some cots on the market did not fully meet current, voluntary safety standards.

"There has been general support from manufacturers and suppliers for the introduction of a mandatory standard," Mr Shave said.

"All cots are clearly not as safe as they should be.

"The Federal report in January revealed there have been 529 identified cot-related injuries reported across Australia in the past four years."

Key design problems included:

entrapment hazards, for infants' heads, fingers and toes;
suffocation risks because of ill-fitting mattresses;
sharp edges and protrusions which snag children's clothing;
low or flimsy drop-side railings; and -
inadequate instructions and labelling.
"The State Government also supports other recommendations, including a community education campaign after the new standard is introduced, plus a program to examine the safety of nursery furniture in general," Mr Shave said.

"Particular care should be taken with older cots and portable cots which tend to be re-used by parents or given to friends who may not be fully aware of the dangers of the cot."

Media contact:
Anabel Gomez
Tel: (08) 9222 9595