Building Safe Toys

[cincinnati]

Why didn't we think of this solution sooner? Yes, the children MUST go!

Seriously though...how is the government possibly going to enforce this with the small business/crafter? The amount of oversight for large manufacturers alone is going to be horrific. I know these laws are potentially detrimental, but the amount of red tape govenment already utilizes (and has access to) should effectively tie their hands in favor of the little guy (I hope!)

How will it be enforced? The chances of the enforcement police showing up in your shop is next to zero. But just let some kid get hurt or sick off of something you made and a lawyer will make sure you will not make anything again.

Here in Ohio we have a smoking ban in all public places. This includes all bars and restaurants. Some bar owners are letting customers smoke anyway. The people who enforce this ban work 9-5 off weekends. But lawyers are cautioning that that all may be true but wait till the first time you have to fire an employee. They can take you to court and seek a settlement because they were forced to work in a unhealthy work environment. Why? Because there is a state law against smoking in a bar. Makes no difference if anyone was not there to enforce it.

[kalynzoo]

As for enforcement, CSPIA 2008 does contain a budget
‘(1) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act and any other provision of law the Commission is authorized or directed to carry out--

‘(A) $118,200,000 for fiscal year 2010;

‘(B) $115,640,000 for fiscal year 2011;

‘(C) $123,994,000 for fiscal year 2012;

‘(D) $131,783,000 for fiscal year 2013; and

‘(E) $136,409,000 for fiscal year 2014.

‘(2) TRAVEL ALLOWANCE- From amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1), there shall be made available $1,200,000 for fiscal year 2010, $1,248,000 for fiscal year 2011, $1,297,000 for fiscal y:eek:

Your taxes at work

The problem does not come from random enforcement, as I too doubt that a Poison Police Person (PPP that's cute) will show up at a craft fair. The problem comes when a retired person, with a craft hobby, sells a product for use by a 5 year old, and is then sued 10 years later when the child does not do well in school, and it is thought to be a possible environmental exposure. If the economy changes, and our retirement investments once again begin to show a profit, many of us will be at risk, or our estates will be at risk.
Yes, I'm reaching, and practicing worst-case-scenario war games. But what the heck.

Maybe we should have a contest, and make doll furniture for the girls in the White House, the winner will take pictures, but we will not be able to send the toys because we do not have the facilities to test for lead.

Enough of this, back to the shop to make sawdust. Best to all

[reible]

I know this is a serious matter to a lot of you, myself included. I presently don't sell toys but I have and I might like the option to do so again in the future.

I had made up some climbing bears and given them away as gifts and they are not for small children but say from 3 and up. I give instructions that for younger children these are for supervised play... the cords will pull though the "handles" even so a younger child could get caught in the cords... etc ect.

Anyway then as more of a humors vein... simi serious.... well you decide.

First the product:

[ATTACH]3106[/ATTACH]

And then the tag:
[ATTACH]3107[/ATTACH]

Ed

sorry about all the misspellings I was typing it in to another programs at squint size and I couldn't even read what I was writing... but you get the idea

[shydragon]

I thought I read or heard that online petitions weren't legal.

[beeg]

ANY toys I make in the future will now be for kids of 13 and older. I hope they enjoy a pounding bench, pull toy, toy box, or cradle.

[kalynzoo]

Reible...Love it...

[curiousgeorge]

How about giving the toy away and selling the instructions/warranty/ or whatever for $xx.xx? Or, do you have to have the paper tested too?

[dlbristol]

I have no expertise in this area at all, but having spent considerable time as a school principal, I can tell you that enforcement of these types of laws in schools ( read kids involved) is not hit or miss. people know about them, lawyers ( mostly ethical, some not so much) are aware of them and the media will find a violation pretty quick. Schools , who are totally paraniod about compliance, are not often involved in leagal actions that are based on failure to comply. They are most often challanged by some one who is challanging whether or not the actions taken by the school were reasonable in light of the rules. Any thing that you do that looks like an attemp to curcumvent the rules is golden for them.

That said, the other side of this is really about money. Schools get sued precisely because they are percieved to have money to get. They carry much insurance and if they loose they suffer less than an individual. A small crafter might not provide as lucrative a target. there are some suits that are aimed at just punishing an individual, but money is the rule. Many of us in schools continued to teach and coach inspite of the risks. Some times you just have to take a risk. BUT, You cannot be seen as trying to end run the rules because if you are, you lose and lose big.

[Ed in Tampa]

What mystifies me is why we can't teach parents not to let their children chew on things not intended to be chewed on. My parents taught me, why can't other parents teach their kids not to eat books, chew on pencils, or eat the climbing bear bought at the craft show.

Once again we see the problem shift from the individual to "somebody" else.
"How was I suppose to know that letting my child eat his text book would expose him to lead dangers?" How about thinking that a book was made to be read not eaten?

"We have met the enemy and the enemy is us!" No truer words were ever spoken.

I wonder when they will outlaw walking as being directly tied to knee injury?

[curiousgeorge]

This is all a direct result of the "Big Brother" mentality that has been instilled into our society by the welfare system. We have created a generation of people who can't, or won't, fend for themselves without government (or some other) assistance. We, the citizens, are now looked upon as a group of helpless idiots that can't make a decision on our own without government intervention. The sad part is, in many cases, (more than I want to believe) it is true. A huge portion of today's parents expect the school system (government) to raise their children for them. They don't want, or in most cases know how, to take the responsibility for their own actions. Much less be responsible for raising their children.