New Safety Standard for Prams and StrollersIn
response to recent tragedies involving children and strollers,
the Australian Standard for Prams and Strollers AS/NZS
2088:2000 became mandatory as of the 1st of July
2008. The following is taken from the web site of
the ACCC:
A new mandatory product
safety standard for prams and strollers takes effect
on 1 July 2008. All products must comply with
a series of construction, performance and labelling
requirements. In particular the mandatory standard requires
that a pram or stroller be provided with:
- a tether strap to help
consumers retain control of the product
- a parking brake (which is red
in colour) to restrict movement of the product
- warnings to promote safe use
of the product
- a restraint harness to
prevent falls from the product (required for strollers only)
When purchasing a pram or
stroller you should ensure that the product has all of the
safety features required by the mandatory
standard and use them. To use a pram
or stroller safely you should always:
- use the harness whenever the
child is in the product
- use the tether strap whenever
the parking brake is not engaged
- use the parking brake
whenever the product is not
moving
Prams and strollers are
designed for the movement and carriage of young children. They
should not be used as devices for sleeping infants or carrying
other objects. Children should not be left sleeping
unsupervised in a pram or stroller - children, especially if
they are not properly harnessed, can move during sleep.
Shopping bags should not be attached to the handle of the pram
or stroller as it may then become overweighted and tip.
You can download the prams
and strollers safety alert publication for consumers or you can call
the ACCC's Infocentre on 1300 302 502 to request a
copy. | 
