South Australia's consumer watchdog is urging parents to check their kids' trick or treat stashes, with reports of potentially unsafe light-up rings being offered to trick or treaters.
Consumer and Business Services has been contacted by a family who said the illuminated rings – which are available to purchase online – may contain easily dislodged button batteries.
The report we received related to toys handed out in Adelaide's inner north eastern suburbs, however, they are widely available online and parents across the state should be on alert.
As a result, Minister Michaels has published a safety warning notice, warning of the risks associated with the toys and advising parents of what to do.
Parents are encouraged to check any toys their children received and safely dispose of items powered by unsecured button batteries.
The flat, round cells are responsible for serious injuries and deaths – with estimates that insertion or swallowing button batteries is involved in around 20 emergency department visits a week nationwide.
If swallowed, in addition to presenting a choking hazard, a button battery can get stuck in a child's throat and cause a chemical reaction that burns through tissue causing catastrophic bleeding.
Anyone with concerns about the safety of products should contact CBS on 131 882, while parents who suspect their child may have swallowed a button battery should contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26. If your child is having any difficulty breathing, contact 000 immediately.
To view the warning notice visit: www.cbs.sa.gov.au/rings_warning
As put by Andrea Michaels
While investigations are still underway, a report of unsecured button batteries being given to children in our community is very concerning.
I'm sure that whoever was handing this out on Halloween assumed they were simply an innocuous novelty toy, and they are widely available for purchase online, but the fact is they pose a significant safety risk.
Small children especially could be seriously injured if they swallow a button battery.
That is why there are mandatory standards in place requiring warnings for any toys that contain button batteries, as well as ensuring the battery compartment is secured by a screw or similar fastener so the batteries are not easily accessed by children.
As put by Commissioner Dini Soulio
To date, we have not seen products of this nature – or received reports of them - at bricks and mortar stores around South Australia.
However, they are available through online marketplaces, where people will often shop for cheap Halloween novelties.
We will now work to ensure products like this that are available locally meet the mandatory standards that are in place to protect small children from harm or injury.
