Connecticut Governor Rell Hires Toy Inspectors to Ramp Up Holiday Safety Efforts

November 21, 2007 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that she has authorized the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) to hire an additional three state inspectors to help with stepped up statewide toy inspections.

“The safety of products sold in Connecticut is always of great importance, but I want to take extra precautions now as we enter the holiday season, when families will spend millions of dollars on toys and children’s products coming here from all over the world,” the Governor said. “Whatever families buy must be safe. Connecticut shoppers must be secure in knowing that the items they buy and give to their children will not hurt them.”

The Governor said some product safety inspectors will target toys and youth items in stores through the end of the year, while others will maintain a strong emphasis on mattresses and apparel.

“At all of our retailers, we want to be sure that some toys recalled several weeks ago are still off of store shelves,” Governor Rell said. “Increased vigilance at all levels is needed; tainted toys must be stopped at our borders, and, where they slip through, retailers need to have foolproof procedures to ensure that every last toy is rounded up.”

Earlier this month, the State Department of Consumer Protection released a new batch of products that parents should look out for. From pacifiers to baby dolls, a long list of toys has been added to the recall list in the state of Connecticut.

“More than 300 stores across Connecticut have been visited by toy inspectors just in the last month, and more than 1,000 toys have been embargoed by our toy inspectors,” Governor Rell said. “Some toys were mislabeled, others contained pieces that were too small and others tested positive for high levels of lead. The products were taken off store shelves, but it's important for parents to keep an eye out for other toys that may have slipped through the cracks.”

DCP officials advised that there is a simple test to make sure a child's toy or part of toy isn't a choking hazard: take a cylinder, whether it be a toilet paper roll or a small juice glass, and put the toy in it. If it fits, it could fit in a child's mouth.

In August, Governor Rell ordered DCP inspectors to check stores across the state and remove any of the millions of popular-brand toys imported from China that were recalled. Governor Rell also directed the Department of Public Health to alert all pediatricians, family practice physicians and day care centers in the state to be especially vigilant for signs of lead poisoning. Some of the recalled toys were contaminated with lead paint, which can cause neurological damage if ingested. As a result of statewide sweep in August, inspectors found 127 recalled toys at 32 stores in 25 towns. The toys were either immediately embargoed so they could not be sold or purchased for testing.

When buying brightly colored toys for children, parents should stick with major brands* and stay alert to product recalls by visiting www.recalls.gov. Parents with concerns about toy safety can call the Department of Consumer Protection hotline at (800) 842-2649.

* Editor's note: This snippet of advice from the governor is dangerously misleading. The bulk of serious recent recalls have been products from major manufacturers.

Source: Connecticut Governor

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