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Europe sets new safety standards for baby walkers

Last update - Thursday, January 22, 2009, 05:52 By Metro Éireann

BABY WALKERS sold in Europe must now meet enhanced safety standards, following new rules introduced last week by the European Commission.

Baby walkers are devices on wheels that help young children move around by means of their feet. They are generally used as soon as the baby is able to sit up unaided and until he/she is able to walk independently. Children using baby walkers range from about six to 15 months of age.
The devices are responsible for thousands of infant injuries every year in the EU, with babies falling down stairs or tipping over, especially when attempting to move over uneven surfaces such as door thresholds or carpet edges.
Hospital emergency data from both the EU and the US over the last 20 years consistently shows that baby walkers are a hazard, with thousands of infants treated for baby walker accidents every year. Australian research indicates that at least one in three children using baby walkers will be injured at some point.
Further research from the UK’s Child Accident Preven-tion Trust estimates that more children are injured by baby walkers than by any other nursery product.
Given the rising incidence of injuries caused by this equipment, EU member states requested that a safety standard be set at EU level.
The new standard sets out stability tests and requirements that reduce the risk of tipping over. They contain requirements and tests for the manufacture of baby walkers, so that the child’s ability to reach for dangerous items and fall in unstable places, such as stairs or curbs, is reduced.
Baby walkers are not a learning device for walking, and prolonged use can interfere with the natural development of a child’s walking abilities. For that reason, the standard also requires baby walkers to carry instructions which draw adults’ attention to the fact that the product is not intended for children above a certain weight or for those who are still too young to sit upright unaided.
EU Consumer Commiss-ioner Meglena Kuneva welcomed the new rules by saying: “This standard will help to keep the EU’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens safe. Although parental or adult supervision is the ultimate protection for a child, extra safety precautions in the manufacture of children’s products are also crucial.”


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