TORONTO -Yard sale and flea market season is about to begin, prompting Health Canada to warn bargain hunters about potential dangers in some used children's products.
For example, that antique crib may look lovely but cribs made before the fall of 1986 do not meet safety regulations and are prohibited from sale.
To be on the safe side, Health Canada has outlined an exhaustive list of baby items, in addition to cribs, that should be bought from a second-hand outlet with caution. Some of the items include:
- Baby gates that have a large diamond-shaped or V openings at the top cannot be sold in Canada because a child's head can get caught in the openings.
- Car seats must meet the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard and carry the compliance label stating the weight and height of the child for which the seat is designed. Before selling a used car seat, check with transport Canada (1-800-333-0371 or www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/).
- Children's sleepwear made out of cotton or cotton blends must not be sold; they burn easily.
- Crib mattresses must fit snugly, with no more than three centimetres between the crib and the mattress. The spacing of the bars should be no more than 60 mm.
Other items to be wary of at yard sales are protective sports equipment such as hockey helmets, playpens, strollers, toys, lawn darts, baby walkers, children's clothing with drawstrings and children's jewelry.
For more information on the safety of second-hand consumer products, visit Health Canada's Web site hs-sc-.gc.ca or call the nearest Health Canada Product Safety Regional Office: Burnaby (604)666-5003, Edmonton (780)495-2626, (403)292-4677, Quebec (418)648-4327, Montreal (514)283-5488 or Longueuil (450)646-1353.
