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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers to make safety a priority this Halloween when trick-or-treating, donning costumes, carving pumpkins and decorating.

Over the past three years, CPSC estimates that an annual average 3,600 Halloween-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments. Here’s how the injuries break down:

• 48% were related to pumpkin carving;
• 27% were due to falls while putting up or taking down decorations, tripping on costumes or walking while trick-or-treating;
• 25% of the injuries included lacerations, ingestions and other injuries associated with costumes, pumpkins or decorations, and allergic reactions or rashes. 

Among the injured, 56 percent were adults 18 years and over, 44 percent were under 18 years old, and about six percent of all injuries were to children two years old or younger.
 

Avoid injuries by following these CPSC safety tips:

Leave pumpkin carving to the adults. Child helpers can grab a spoon and scoop out the inside or use a marker to trace the design. 

Battery-operated lights or glow sticks are recommended for decorations and are the safest option. However, if using open-flame candles, keep them away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended.

Use a ladder when hanging or removing decorations, and only use lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Discard damaged light sets.

Wear a costume that fits, and avoid overly long or baggy costumes to prevent trips and falls. Costumes with loose, flowing fabrics can also be a fire hazard when close to open flames. Costumes made of polyester or nylon fabric, and not sheer cotton or rayon fabric, reduce the hazard. However, any fabric can burn if it comes in contact with an open flame.

One last thing, be sure to follow the advice of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and your local jurisdiction. COVID-19 still lurks, so know when to wear a mask, not a Halloween costume mask, but a protective mask.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

October is National Window Covering Safety Month

WASHINGTON, D.C. – One of the most serious hazards in American homes is also one of its most hidden—window covering cords that entangle infants and children. As many across the country continue to work and learn from home due to COVID-19, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to choose cordless window coverings. Pull cords, continuous loop cords, inner cords or any other accessible cords on window coverings are dangerous to young children.

“Children have strangled to death on the cords of window blinds, shades, draperies and other window coverings, and this can happen in mere moments, even with an adult nearby,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “The safest option when young children are present is to go cordless.”

When children become entangled, strangulation can occur in less than a minute. Window cord strangulation is often silent, so parents or caregivers nearby may not realize that a tragedy is unfolding. On average, about nine children age 5 and younger die every year from strangulation in window blinds, shades, draperies and other window coverings with cords. In addition, there were nearly 200 incidents involving children up to 8 years old due to strangulation hazards on window covering cords from January 2009 through December 2020, according to CPSC data. Injuries varied from a scar around the neck, quadriplegia and permanent brain damage.

CPSC is advising consumers to buy and install cordless window coverings (labeled as cordless) in all rooms where a child may be present. Cordless products are available at most major retailers and online including inexpensive options. If consumers are unable to replace existing window coverings with cordless ones, CPSC recommends the following safety steps:

• Eliminate any dangling cords by making the pull cords as short as possible.
• Keep all window covering cords out of the reach of children.
• Ensure that cord stops are installed properly and adjusted to limit the movement of inner lift cords.
• Anchor to the floor or wall continuous-loop cords for draperies and blinds.
• Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window covering cords, preferably to another wall.

For more information, visit CPSC’s Window Covering Safety Education Center. 

CPSC staff is in the process of developing a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) on corded window coverings for Commission consideration.

October is National Window Covering Safety Month

WASHINGTON, D.C. – One of the most serious hazards in American homes is also one of its most hidden—window covering cords that entangle infants and children. As many across the country continue to work and learn from home due to COVID-19, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to choose cordless window coverings. Pull cords, continuous loop cords, inner cords or any other accessible cords on window coverings are dangerous to young children.

“Children have strangled to death on the cords of window blinds, shades, draperies and other window coverings, and this can happen in mere moments, even with an adult nearby,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “The safest option when young children are present is to go cordless.”

When children become entangled, strangulation can occur in less than a minute. Window cord strangulation is often silent, so parents or caregivers nearby may not realize that a tragedy is unfolding. On average, about nine children age 5 and younger die every year from strangulation in window blinds, shades, draperies and other window coverings with cords. In addition, there were nearly 200 incidents involving children up to 8 years old due to strangulation hazards on window covering cords from January 2009 through December 2020, according to CPSC data. Injuries varied from a scar around the neck, quadriplegia and permanent brain damage.

CPSC is advising consumers to buy and install cordless window coverings (labeled as cordless) in all rooms where a child may be present. Cordless products are available at most major retailers and online including inexpensive options. If consumers are unable to replace existing window coverings with cordless ones, CPSC recommends the following safety steps:

• Eliminate any dangling cords by making the pull cords as short as possible.
• Keep all window covering cords out of the reach of children.
• Ensure that cord stops are installed properly and adjusted to limit the movement of inner lift cords.
• Anchor to the floor or wall continuous-loop cords for draperies and blinds.
• Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window covering cords, preferably to another wall.

For more information, visit CPSC’s Window Covering Safety Education Center. 

CPSC staff is in the process of developing a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) on corded window coverings for Commission consideration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Knowing what to do if there’s a house fire can save lives. Fire Prevention Week is October 3 through 9, and CPSC and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) want to encourage everyone to listen to the sounds of safety from smoke and CO alarms. That means:

• When the alarm “beeps,” respond immediately and get out of the home as quickly as possible.
• When the alarm “chirps,” it’s time to change the batteries, or install a new alarm.
• If there is someone in the household who is deaf or hard of hearing, install bed shaker and strobe light alarms that will alert that person to fire danger.

Based on CPSC staff estimates for 2016 through 2018, there are about 360,000 home fires every year, leading to roughly 2,400 deaths. In addition, it is estimated that there are nearly 10,400 injuries per year. Research also shows that across all races, African Americans have the highest rate of fire deaths and injuries—nearly twice the overall death rate, and more than twice the overall injury rate. According to CPSC’s Residential Fire Loss Estimates report, although African Americans represent 13% of the population, they represent an estimated 24% of the home fire deaths and 27% of the home fire injuries.

“In light of this data, we must do better collectively, at state and local levels, to inform the public—and African Americans, in particular--about lifesaving, fire safety messaging,” says Acting CPSC Chairman Bob Adler. “One way to do this is to encourage local community leadership to implement outreach strategies that both communicate and encourage proactively these fire safety guidelines at home.”

CPSC urges everyone to plan and practice regularly these simple steps to have a fighting chance at avoiding injury and death when faced with a fire emergency.

• Create an escape plan. Make sure there are two ways out of each room, as well as a path to the outside from each exit.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the plan and practices the plan.
• Pick a family meeting place outside.
• Once outside, stay outside.
• Call 911.
• Ensure that working smoke alarms are inside and outside of every sleeping area and on every level of the home.
• Make sure there are working CO alarms on every level of the home.
• Test all smoke and CO alarms monthly.
• Have working fire sprinklers.

Small children in the home, and the elderly will need additional assistance during a fire emergency. For more information, check out our multigenerational tool kit.

View CPSC’s fire safety PSA for older consumers here.

More fire safety tips and information are provided in our fire safety information center.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As consumers step up their use of e-scooters, hoverboards, and e-bikes to return to work, school and other activities, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reminds everyone to keep safety a priority.

According to advance data from a soon-to-be-released CPSC report on hazard patterns associated with micromobility products, injuries and deaths continue to rise, but data are certainly consistent with the notion that a lot of people staying home in 2020, led to a leveling off or slight reduction in scooter use.

Here’s what the latest data show:

• There were more than 190,000 emergency room (ED) visits due to all micromobility products from 2017 through 2020.  ED visits had a steady 70% increase from 34,000 (2017), 44,000 (2018), 54,800 (2019) to 57,800 (2020).
• Much of the increase between 2017 and later years was attributable to ED visits involving e-scooters, which rose three times as much, from 7,700 (2017), to 14,500 (2018), to 27,700 (2019) and 25,400 (2020).
• Injuries happened most frequently to upper and lower limbs, as well as the head and the neck.
• CPSC is aware of 71 fatalities associated with micromobility products from 2017 through 2020, although reporting is incomplete.

The hazards associated with micromobility products primarily fall into three broad areas: mechanical, electrical, and human factors. To address these hazards, CPSC staff continues to work with ASTM International and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to develop and make improvements to, voluntary standards. In support of these and other efforts, CPSC has done analyses of incident data and has done testing for the various hazards. CPSC also collaborates with federal partners and industry stakeholders to promote micromobility safety.

The best way to avoid injuries when using micromobility products: 

• Always make sure to wear a helmet. 
• Before riding an e-scooter, make sure to check it for any damage, which includes examining the handlebars, brakes, throttle, bell, lights, tires, cables and frame. Damage to the e-scooter can cause loss of control and lead to a crash. 

More life-saving tips can be found in CPSC’s e-scooter safety alert and safety PSA.

2020 Data Show 9 Deaths and Nearly 150,000 ER-Treated Injuries with Children’s Toys 

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Toy manufacturers are warning of potential supply-chain delays and global shipping issues due to COVID-19. Concerns about a possible toy shortage this holiday, are prompting many Americans to start their holiday shopping early. 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is issuing its holiday toy buying tips early this year, urging shoppers to review these safety tips BEFORE hitting the stores in person, or shopping online.

A new report released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that in 2020, there were nine deaths and more than 149,000 toy-related, emergency department-treated injuries to children ages 14 and younger. The majority of these injuries and deaths were associated with choking on small parts of toys.

The report also shows emergency department-treated injuries associated with the following items:

• toy balls: These were related to the most emergency department-treated injuries (8% or 11,400);
• building sets (7% or 9,900);   
• toy vehicles (4% or 6,200);
• non-motorized scooters: ER-injuries increased by 2.5 percent for children younger than 14, from about 35,600 in 2019, to about 36,500 injuries in 2020. 

CPSC recommends these simple safety tips before purchasing toys:

• Choose age-appropriate toys that match the child's interests and abilities. Always read and heed the label to determine whether a toy is age-appropriate for the child.
• Keep small balls, high-powered magnets, and toys with small parts or button batteries away from children younger than age 3.
• Keep deflated balloons away from children younger than 8 years old, and immediately discard balloons that won’t inflate, or have popped. 
• Get safety gear, including helmets for scooters and other riding toys. Helmets should be worn properly at all times and be sized to fit.
• Take note of safety warnings, information, and labels.

Online shopping continues to be popular, convenient, and a safe alternative this season. Adults should follow additional toy safety tips when shopping online:

• Always shop from stores and online retailers you know and trust.
• Look for a choking hazard warning or statements, especially when purchasing toys and games online that contain small parts, such as balls, marbles and balloons. 
• Check for additional safety information from online sellers, especially when shopping for kids. 
• To avoid counterfeits, scrutinize the product, the packaging and the label. If the price seems too good to be true, this could be a sign that the product is counterfeit.
• Look for a certification mark from an independent testing organization and the manufacturer’s label.

Before purchasing a new or used toy, consumers should check that the toy has not been banned or recalled. This can easily be confirmed at www.cpsc.gov/recalls, or by downloading the free CPSC Recalls App on CPSC.gov. Whenever possible, register the toy with the company after purchase.

If a toy, or any other household product, appears to be dangerous or malfunctions, immediately stop using it, secure it in a safe location away from children, and report the safety issue to www.SaferProducts.gov. This can help reduce the risk of injury to other children. 

Regardless of when the 2021 holiday shopping season begins, CPSC urges manufacturers and consumers to put safety first, especially regarding children’s toys. 

2020 Data Show 9 Deaths and Nearly 150,000 ER-Treated Injuries with Children’s Toys 

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Toy manufacturers are warning of potential supply-chain delays and global shipping issues due to COVID-19. Concerns about a possible toy shortage this holiday, are prompting many Americans to start their holiday shopping early. 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is issuing its holiday toy buying tips early this year, urging shoppers to review these safety tips BEFORE hitting the stores in person, or shopping online.

A new report released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that in 2020, there were nine deaths and more than 149,000 toy-related, emergency department-treated injuries to children ages 14 and younger. The majority of these injuries and deaths were associated with choking on small parts of toys.

The report also shows emergency department-treated injuries associated with the following items:

• toy balls: These were related to the most emergency department-treated injuries (8% or 11,400);
• building sets (7% or 9,900);   
• toy vehicles (4% or 6,200);
• non-motorized scooters: ER-injuries increased by 2.5 percent for children younger than 14, from about 35,600 in 2019, to about 36,500 injuries in 2020. 

CPSC recommends these simple safety tips before purchasing toys:

• Choose age-appropriate toys that match the child's interests and abilities. Always read and heed the label to determine whether a toy is age-appropriate for the child.
• Keep small balls, high-powered magnets, and toys with small parts or button batteries away from children younger than age 3.
• Keep deflated balloons away from children younger than 8 years old, and immediately discard balloons that won’t inflate, or have popped. 
• Get safety gear, including helmets for scooters and other riding toys. Helmets should be worn properly at all times and be sized to fit.
• Take note of safety warnings, information, and labels.

Online shopping continues to be popular, convenient, and a safe alternative this season. Adults should follow additional toy safety tips when shopping online:

• Always shop from stores and online retailers you know and trust.
• Look for a choking hazard warning or statements, especially when purchasing toys and games online that contain small parts, such as balls, marbles and balloons. 
• Check for additional safety information from online sellers, especially when shopping for kids. 
• To avoid counterfeits, scrutinize the product, the packaging and the label. If the price seems too good to be true, this could be a sign that the product is counterfeit.
• Look for a certification mark from an independent testing organization and the manufacturer’s label.

Before purchasing a new or used toy, consumers should check that the toy has not been banned or recalled. This can easily be confirmed at www.cpsc.gov/recalls, or by downloading the free CPSC Recalls App on CPSC.gov. Whenever possible, register the toy with the company after purchase.

If a toy, or any other household product, appears to be dangerous or malfunctions, immediately stop using it, secure it in a safe location away from children, and report the safety issue to www.SaferProducts.gov. This can help reduce the risk of injury to other children. 

Regardless of when the 2021 holiday shopping season begins, CPSC urges manufacturers and consumers to put safety first, especially regarding children’s toys. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an unprecedented initiative by the three product safety agencies of North America, technical staff of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Health Canada, and Mexico’s Consumer Protection Federal Agency (PROFECO) have developed consensus recommendations to improve test methods for ensuring the safety of alternating current (AC) chargers and universal serial bus (USB) chargers.

In joint tri-lateral letters to the standards development organizations in the three jurisdictions, the product safety agencies recommended new testing to assess the potential for fire and burn hazards caused by AC-powered chargers for small electronic devices.  This collaboration represents the first example of a joint consumer product safety standard recommendation developed among multiple governments that are not members of a single administrative region.

The joint letters conclude a multi-year project under the three agencies’ “Early Consultation Initiative.” The stated goal of the Early Consultation Initiative was to foster closer alignment of consumer product safety requirements through technical consultations. The strategy was to seek consensus approaches to consumer product hazards not yet being addressed through formal regulatory or standards work.

In the joint letters to U.S.-based Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL), Canada-based CSA group, and the Mexican government’s Directorate General of Standards (DGN), staff cited numerous incidents of injuries.  These included burns from contact with hot surfaces on an electronic device, or the charger itself; fires and explosions that initiated within the charger, or in one of the cords attached to the charger; and electric shock injuries from user-contact with an exposed energized conductor when the charger housing is breached by melting, or when the housing breaks apart.  Incidents also included lithium-ion battery fires as a result of improper charging. The letters noted that incidents are more prevalent when an AC charger or USB charger has not been evaluated and certified by a third party testing facility.  The trilateral team examined incident data and analyzed existing voluntary standards before proposing new testing procedures and requesting that standards developers add the tests to their current standards.

“This initiative has proven, at least on a small scale, that multiple jurisdictions can develop consensus recommendations to improve voluntary safety standards, if they consult early and compare data and experience,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle. “We are very hopeful this will provide a template for future initiatives.”   Buerkle added that a second round of the Early Consultation Initiative will be underway during 2019.

Consensus Paper - Trilateral Investigation into the Safety Hazards Associated with AC and USB Chargers (also called Adapters)

CPSC Test Report - Early Consultation Initiative AC and USB Chargers Testing Procedures

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Babies spend most of their time sleeping, so the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging parents and caregivers to get “back to basics” to make sure that baby’s sleep spaces are safe. CPSC’s new public service announcement focuses on three key reminders for safe sleep:  

1. Back to Sleep: Always place the baby to sleep on the baby’s back to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SUID/SIDS) and suffocation;
2. Bare is Best: Always keep the baby’s sleep space bare (fitted sheet only) to prevent suffocation. Do not use pillows, padded crib bumpers, quilts or comforters; and 
3. Only place the baby to sleep in a product that is intended for sleep. Transfer the baby to a crib, bassinet, play yard or bedside sleeper if the baby falls asleep in a swing, bouncer, lounger or similar product. 

CPSC’s most recent report on nursery product injuries and deaths shows that cribs/mattresses, playpens/play yards, bassinets/cradles, infant carriers and inclined infant sleep products were associated with 83 percent of the fatalities reported. About one-third (32 percent) of infant and toddler fatalities were associated with cribs and/or mattresses, while bassinets/cradles, infant carriers and inclined sleep products, collectively, were associated with an additional one-third (32 percent) of fatalities. Most of these nursery product-related deaths are due to asphyxiation resulting from a cluttered or hazardous sleep environment. The sleep area is often cluttered with extra bedding, such as pillows, blankets, comforters and plush toys. 

Beginning in mid-2022, any product intended or marketed for infant sleep must meet a new federal safety standard. This new mandatory standard will effectively eliminate potentially hazardous sleep products in the marketplace that currently do not meet a CPSC mandatory standard for infant sleep, such as inclined sleepers, travel and compact bassinets and in-bed sleepers, which have been linked to dozens of infant deaths. Popular products formerly referred to as “inclined sleep products” include several styles that have been recalled over the years.

“Protecting babies and toddlers is among the most sacred of our obligations as Commissioners,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “We are dedicated to using all the tools at the agency’s disposal—education, enforcement and rulemaking—to ensure that when a product is intended or marketed for sleep, it will indeed be safe for an infant to sleep.”

The new federal safety rule incorporates the most recent voluntary standard developed by ASTM International (ASTM F3118-17a, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Inclined Sleep Products), with modifications to make the standard more stringent. The new standard requires that infant sleep products that do not already meet the requirements of an existing CPSC sleep standard now must be tested to confirm that the angle of the sleep surface is 10 degrees or lower, and that the products comply with the agency’s Safety Standard for Bassinets and Cradles.

For more tips on baby safety, recalled baby products and to view CPSC’s newest baby safety PSA, “Back to Basics,” visit CPSC’s Safe Sleep and Crib Safety Education Center here. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Babies spend most of their time sleeping, so the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging parents and caregivers to get “back to basics” to make sure that baby’s sleep spaces are safe. CPSC’s new public service announcement focuses on three key reminders for safe sleep:  

1. Back to Sleep: Always place the baby to sleep on the baby’s back to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SUID/SIDS) and suffocation;
2. Bare is Best: Always keep the baby’s sleep space bare (fitted sheet only) to prevent suffocation. Do not use pillows, padded crib bumpers, quilts or comforters; and 
3. Only place the baby to sleep in a product that is intended for sleep. Transfer the baby to a crib, bassinet, play yard or bedside sleeper if the baby falls asleep in a swing, bouncer, lounger or similar product. 

CPSC’s most recent report on nursery product injuries and deaths shows that cribs/mattresses, playpens/play yards, bassinets/cradles, infant carriers and inclined infant sleep products were associated with 83 percent of the fatalities reported. About one-third (32 percent) of infant and toddler fatalities were associated with cribs and/or mattresses, while bassinets/cradles, infant carriers and inclined sleep products, collectively, were associated with an additional one-third (32 percent) of fatalities. Most of these nursery product-related deaths are due to asphyxiation resulting from a cluttered or hazardous sleep environment. The sleep area is often cluttered with extra bedding, such as pillows, blankets, comforters and plush toys. 

Beginning in mid-2022, any product intended or marketed for infant sleep must meet a new federal safety standard. This new mandatory standard will effectively eliminate potentially hazardous sleep products in the marketplace that currently do not meet a CPSC mandatory standard for infant sleep, such as inclined sleepers, travel and compact bassinets and in-bed sleepers, which have been linked to dozens of infant deaths. Popular products formerly referred to as “inclined sleep products” include several styles that have been recalled over the years.

“Protecting babies and toddlers is among the most sacred of our obligations as Commissioners,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “We are dedicated to using all the tools at the agency’s disposal—education, enforcement and rulemaking—to ensure that when a product is intended or marketed for sleep, it will indeed be safe for an infant to sleep.”

The new federal safety rule incorporates the most recent voluntary standard developed by ASTM International (ASTM F3118-17a, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Inclined Sleep Products), with modifications to make the standard more stringent. The new standard requires that infant sleep products that do not already meet the requirements of an existing CPSC sleep standard now must be tested to confirm that the angle of the sleep surface is 10 degrees or lower, and that the products comply with the agency’s Safety Standard for Bassinets and Cradles.

For more tips on baby safety, recalled baby products and to view CPSC’s newest baby safety PSA, “Back to Basics,” visit CPSC’s Safe Sleep and Crib Safety Education Center here.