Welcome to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Podcast for the week of November 17th, 2006

"Look at the label, read the label and heed the label. That’s really the message that I think parents need to understand.”

That was Acting CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord at Tuesday’s toy safety press conference. CPSC teamed up with AARP to announce the 5 top Holiday Gift Safety Tips.

“Here at the CPSC, we’ve made our own list of Shop Safe, Shop Smart tips. And, on our list, we’ve included possible hazards that are presented when age appropriate gifts are not given.”

Here are CPSC’s Top Safe Shopping Tips for this year:

#5. Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.

#4. Projectile toys such as air rockets, darts and sling shots are for older children. Improper use of these toys can result in serious eye injuries.

#3. Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be sized to fit.

#2. For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking. Nine of the 20 toy-related deaths involving children under 15 in 2005 were from a small part or small ball.

And the number 1 safe shopping tip is for magnets. For children under age six, avoid building sets with small magnets. If swallowed, serious injuries or death can occur.

Consumers who have already purchased gifts should make sure they check that their gift lists do not include any of the recalled toys or children’s products on CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Speaking of recalls, this week, CPSC announced two toy recalls by Target Stores. Target recalled 10 different Kool Toyz brand products – a total of about 190,000 units. The recall includes sets containing die-cast cars, playground set, doll house set, dinosaurs, trucks, boats and planes.

Some of the toys contain lead paint and some have sharp points, posing laceration or puncture wound hazards. There have been four reports of the toys breaking apart, exposing sharp points. No injuries have been reported.

Also, Target is recalling about 7,100 Play Wonder Puzzle Tables for choking and laceration hazards.

The handles on the puzzle pieces can come off, posing a choking hazard and the tips of the nails on the inside shelf of the puzzle table could be exposed, posing a laceration or puncture hazard.

Target has received two reports of the pegs coming off of the puzzle pieces. In one of these reports, a child was found to be mouthing the pegs. No other injuries were reported relating to these hazards.

This puzzle table contains three nine-piece wooden puzzles inside the table. They are light blue with paw prints painted across the top of the table. Return all of the recalled products to Target for a refund. For more information, consumers can contact Target at (800) 440-0680 or log on to the firm’s Web site at www.target.com.

Also, for more on all these recalls and other safety news, you can visit our Web site at www.CPSC.Gov.. And, until next time, stay safe.

End.