Warning to parents over fun activity
A warning is in place for children’s toys ahead of the start of a beloved family event this weekend.
Parents attending the Perth Royal Show should be vigilant for any toys in goodie bags that have round “button” batteries, as these may come loose and pose a choking hazard to little ones.
“If an item lights up, produces sound or is a watch, it will likely have a button battery that powers it,” Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake said.
“Parents should check the battery compartment is secured with a screw or is not easily opened by doing a drop test – drop the item on the floor and if the battery comes loose after being dropped, do not give it to your child.”
Toys containing the dangerous batteries are particularly common in gifts contained in show bags.
This year’s Perth Royal Show is due to take place from September 23-30 a the Claremont Showground, just west of downtown Perth.
The event, co-ordinated by the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia, will feature hundreds of performers, animal encounters and fairground rides.
The show has been going on since 1834, making it the most “longstanding community event” in Western Australia, according to the Perth Royal Show website.
The warning comes after Consumer Protection safety inspectors issued eight fines totalling more than $30,000 to stallholders at last year’s show.
“The Royal Agricultural Society of WA (RASWA) is taking a proactive approach to
safety with everyone at the Perth Royal Show,” a spokesperson for the event told NCA NewsWire in a statement.
The RASWA said random checks of stalls would be carried out and a list of banned items created.
“This year we have sent out more communications regarding the Australian Standards of Safety and worked with the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety to facilitate pre-show inspections of novelty sites,” the statement continued.
“RASWA has made the strict new mandatory safety standards clear to everyone at the show.”
