On 5 June 2009 the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard) (Treadmills) Regulations 2009 were introduced. The new mandatory standard requires that treadmills manufactured or imported after 1 August 2009 (and all treadmills supplied after 1 December 2009) carry a prominent label warning treadmill users of the need to keep young children away from the machine.
The standard seeks to address a significant hazard with treadmills, which is their capacity to entrap the hands and fingers of young unsupervised children in areas of contact with the rotating conveyer belt resulting in severe friction burns. The ACCC has also been involved in educating treadmill users of these dangers and has previously published a treadmill safety alert.
Manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, hire companies and retailers supplying treadmills must comply with the requirements of the regulations.
Revised mandatory safety standards for flotation toys and swimming aids
Two new mandatory safety standards were recently introduced:
Flotation toys and aquatic toys. All flotation and aquatic toys must carry a statement that they are not a life saving device and a warning to only use under supervision in shallow water. The standard also specifies construction and performance requirements to reduce the risk of drowning due to sudden loss of buoyancy of inflatable toys.
Swimming aids and flotation aids for water familiarisation and swimming tuition. This standard specifies requirements for design, construction, performance and warning labels for swimming and flotation aids.
These mandatory standards replace an existing mandatory safety standard for swimming aids and flotation toys which had been in place since 1992. This mandatory standard was reviewed as part of a regular review program to ensure changes in the market place and innovation were acknowledged in addition to ensuring that new Australian Standards were referenced.
