Thread: Toybox Safety

maybe we could make the lid out of cotton wool (no allergenic of course) with the hinges made out of organic material, and the box could be made out of ,compressed mung beans, then if an accident did happen ,as sometimes it did when i was a child and everyone was not shi..scared of litigation , we could council the children so they would not sue the makers iegrandfathers and fathers )for failing to show due care and attention to the manufacture of said piece , ................just my thoughts, and maybe we should take cars off ebay because kids could slam fingers in the doors , or walk out in front of them whilst driving along the road,or ban life saving medicines because they could climb up to the top of the cupboards and take them, maybe we should disguise medicines as broccolli , that might work,come on woodies keep making these toy boxes just teach the kids that they are toy boxes not bathtubs..bob

Toy Box Safety (USA)
Every year the Consumer Products Safety Commission receives reports of injury and even death to toddlers caused by toy boxes. Most often these accidents are the result of toy box lids falling down unexpectedly and causing head injuries or trapping the child. In addition to these serious injuries, toy boxes are often the cause of countless bumps, bruises, and pinches that could be avoided with some simple precautions.
When shopping for a new plastic or wooden toy box for your child's room, look for toy boxes with lightweight lids that can be opened easily by your child.
Lids should never have any kind of latch or lock and should be able to be opened from the inside in case your child ever crawls or falls in. For this reason, too, the inside of plastic and wooden toy boxes should be well ventilated.
Toy boxes with safety hinges that prop the lid open automatically at any position are another way to prevent accidental slamming.
Cutouts on the sides and front of the toy box just under the lid will prevent pinched fingers when closing the toy box.
If you already own a toy box that doesn't include these safety features, the best way to make it safe for your child is to remove the lid completely. (Another way to make the lid safe is to screw rubber stoppers into the corners of the box to prevent the lid closing)
The paints and stains of new toy boxes are required to be non-toxic and child safe, but it's wise to check for sure.
Also look for toy boxes that are free of sharp corners and edges. Corners that seem dangerous should be sanded round or covered with soft plastic or foam protectors.
You take great care choosing toys that are not sharp or pose choking or suffocation hazards. The toy box that you store those toys in should be just as safe for you child.


An Australian Document

http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/CA256902000FE154/Lookup/CAV_Publications_Product_Safety/$file/SafeProductsForYourBaby.pdf
Here are some boxes to check out
http://www.itoyboxes.com/
http://www.boori.com.au/Product-Deta...ntCategoryID=5
Chipman

I reckon thats not a toy box but a "mum n dad r feeling passionate" box......


And it needs a better lock

Originally Posted by robyn2839

maybe we could make the lid out of cotton wool (no allergenic of course) with the hinges made out of organic material, and the box could be made out of ,compressed mung beans, then if an accident did happen ,as sometimes it did when i was a child and everyone was not shi..scared of litigation , we could council the children so they would not sue the makers iegrandfathers and fathers )for failing to show due care and attention to the manufacture of said piece , ................just my thoughts, and maybe we should take cars off ebay because kids could slam fingers in the doors , or walk out in front of them whilst driving along the road,or ban life saving medicines because they could climb up to the top of the cupboards and take them, maybe we should disguise medicines as broccolli , that might work,come on woodies keep making these toy boxes just teach the kids that they are toy boxes not bathtubs..bob

It is easy enough to react like this to safety issues and I would agree that in many cases, some go overboard with safety issues with some sort of strange idea that they can do whatever they like and it is always someone elses fault when they get hurt. I agree that we all should take more responsibility for our own actions and the consequences that come our way.

But how can you expect a toddler to know what is safe? Little kids are exactly that...little kids and don't understand and do things that could hurt them. A few little bumps and bangs are probably a good learning experience but if it results in maiming or other serious injury I am sure even you would be upset.

Chipman

Actually I reckon make it bigger and call it "THE passion box", plus cause its dark you dont need beer.


Okay, Im being silly ........ I see your point but am a bit with robyn. In a world where 1 in 4 girls are sexually molested there may be more pressing issues for our govt than toyboxes.

I agree with the no latch and an airhole but thats about it.

Looks like a fairly light lid to me one layer of pine boards and maybe a brace or two, highly unlikely to be air tight. Might break a finger if they were realy unlucky. Probably far less toxic than a plastic one!!

When dad made me a toy box .........hang on he didn't at first for years I used an old steamer trunk a steel one with locks and no holes. Gee I even used to hop inside and close the lid, great place to hide from parents and siblings.

When he made my sister one it lay on its side so the lid fell to the floor it had a catch to hold it closed she used to hide in it as well.

When was the last time you walked down the street to see kids playing in a tree house that THEY built or rolling down a street on a billy cart THEY built.

Being a parent is the hardest thing in the world, what we teach our kids has to get them through life. Teaching them to grow up and be responsible for their actions is the biggest part, that injuries can be prevented that DANGER is always present.

I agree with Bob and Dazzler,
If you are that concerned put a no slam hinge or bracket on it.
I still have all my fingers and i made it past toddlership. So did everybody i know come to think of it.

Kids that grow up without excitment or risk must miss out on an integral part of life and learning. "The things that don't kill us make us stronger" and this shouldn't start at 18 or 21 (you should have already gained some life skills and judgement in this area by then) or you have missed out on gaining confidence etc from surviving a fast ride on a billy cart or realising a good case of gravel rash won't kill you.
As with life in general ,taken with a little dose of moderation.

Well in my day as a youngster we called Billy Carts "Trolleys". They were cobbled together using anything we could get our hands on, pram wheels were the preferred option. For decoration we used to nail bottle tops to the chassis. If we were lucky we would actually have matching back/front wheels. A bit of string to steer with great fun. We also used to hook up another one behind, specially if we were short on wheels. All the kids up the street used to be constantly on the lookout for "spare parts", and we used to share them around.

Skateboards, what are they. Our skateboards were a Beano or Dandy Annual and a roller skate. We would sit on them and go for miles, now this is where we got grazed knuckles and knees.

Now if you told that to the kids today they would not believe you.

I know what you all mean about how things have changed since we all were kids. I suspect that if parents today let their kids do half the things I got to do or my friends did, they would likely be prosecuted!

Because of the modern risk of prosecutions, the fun police have taken a lot of things away.... try how parks have changed. (but that is another whole issue) I guess it also has some impact on those making things for sale as they too would run the risk of prosecution. I guess that means insurance etc (I don't know much about that side of things as for me woodwork is a hobby/passion.

I agree the lid on the box in the picture above is light weight and due to the boards on it, it is not likely to be too air tight. However some toy boxes, especially those made from solid timber, have heavy lids and could be dangerous. so:

Take the time to atleast put on slow closers which makes them more useful anyway.
It is relatively simple to put a finger groove/ventilation gap under the lid if ventilation is an issue
And never put a lock on it, especially those ones that you can lock without a key.

In reality a lot depends on the age of the kids using it, Any kid aged 4 or more should know what to do and be taught how to act safely. If little toddlers are going to use it, then greater care is needed.

Finally, you cannot protect people from themselves. It is still possible to get squashed fingers even with a gap at the front. Also with some kids, they would hurt themselves even if the box had no lid! Another important issue is that safety devices don't take away the responsibility of adults to supervise the kids.

My point is simple, when making things for kids, at least find out what the current safety requirements are and make it as safe as possible without going overboard.

Chipman

Well I have to say that what appears to be flippant the nature of the replies leaves me a little bewidered. I am sure that I along with many of you did some pretty dumb/dangerous things as children and only ever told our parents about them years later when the fear of retribution had diminished.

It is absolutely unnecessary to place any individual at risk based on the premise that "it never happened to me". That is a cop out.

I will not put my children at risk on that basis. If I see something that makes me wince at the unexpected consequences then it my responsibilty to make sure that ensure that it is fixed.

I would not like to face my children for injury done to their children (my grandchildren) because of my attitude to a potentially dangerous situation.

OK I am off my high horse.

We cannot wrap our children in cotton wool but we can protect them from forseeable avoidable danger or harm.

Try one of these:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...0&filter=26229

I have a 2.5 year old cheeky monkey that is in to everything. I don't want to wrap him in cotton wool but at the same time I would like him to make it past childhood. To that end I bought a cot that met the standards (which are compulsory) etc. Toyboxes should have the slow close especially when they have heavy lids. I also totally agree they need ventilation of some sort - either through the slats or holes. It is a balance making sure you don't wrap them in cotton wool but at the same time I would never forgive myself if he died from getting stuck in a toy box. Some danger is good for them eg learning to climb on a frame and over time you let them try more of the sections and yes there is some risk eg breaking an arm but thats part of growing up. But I see that risk as different to not adding a not very expensive mechanism to make the safety so much better.