(Prague, December 8, 2011) It is most probable that there are no parents who would not want the best for their children. The “best” does not always mean the nicest or the most expensive, but above all healthy and safe. Safety is the elementary requirement that should be especially met in products designed for children care among which baby-coaches play a major role. Within an annual control action, inspectors of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority monitor how manufacturers and importers observe obligations provided by the Act on General Safety of Products when placing such products on the market. In the third quarter of the year, breaches of obligations were found in 6 of 39 controls. Four products were taken to laboratory assessments and two of them failed the criteria for general safety and will be filed in the RAPEX system.

(Prague, November 23, 2011) Inspectors of the CTIA carried out controls of bikes for children and found that there is a product without any obligatory information provided. A laboratory subsequently submitted the suspicion that the bike poses risks of children’s injury. Analysis showed that there are several defects and that each of them can be dangerous to health and safety even if the bike is used in a common and predictable way. Despite the fact that the Czech Trade Inspection Authority banned selling of the bike Tong Che and the distributor subsequently withdrew the product from the market, it may be possible that the bike is still sold in some shops.

(Prague, November 15, 2011) The Czech Trade Inspection Authority warns consumers that a dangerous bike which can pose risks to children’s health is offered in the Czech market. It is the children bike Rocket Engine 12’’ whose rear wheel does not brake and is placed higher than stabilizer wheels. Selling of the product was banned and the distributor withdrew the bike from the market. This product will be filed in the RAPEX system.

(Prague, November 11, 2011) Lately we have heard news about children’s injuries or even fatal accidents at sporting venues, playgrounds and similar facilities. Is it human failure within obligatory maintenance that is the cause of these sad and tragic situations or is it dangers of the playgrounds and sporting venues as such and their playing elements? Activities of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority as well as authorities on the European level are focused on the playgrounds’ safety in order to minimize risks of individual playing elements. During the third quarter of 2011, CTIA inspectors checked totally 86 playgrounds and found defects (breaches of Technical Requirements on Products) in 24 cases.

(Prague, November 9, 2011) The Czech Trade Inspection Authority found that in the Czech market a bicycle is sold which can pose risks of injury to children even if used in a common and predictable way. The children bike is made in China and its importer is the Bohemia Corporation, s. r. o. company. An expert assessment showed that screws are not secured properly, handlebars’ covers do not meet requirements on diameter, handlebars and seats are instable and stabilizer wheels do not meet requirements on solidity and deform. CTIA banned selling of this bike and its distributor took action and withdrew the product of the market.

(Prague, November 3, 2011) The Czech Trade Inspection Authority alerts consumers that products that pose risk especially to children are offered in the Czech market. These products are interchangeable with groceries. It is air refreshers in the shape of two strawberries with a stem and two cherries with a stem. Both products are interchangeable with real fruits due to their shape, appearance, smell and colour. Their possible consumption and related complications may be assumed mainly in persons with low ability to distinguish, especially in children. Putting in mouth, snapping a little part, chewing or swallowing poses a risk of suffocation or blocking the digestive tract. The CTIA banned selling this product.

(Prague, October 18, 2011) Means of civic entertainment are sources of risk to safety of consumers who are not able to neither recognize nor defend such risks. When the products are used in a common way, the dangers concern especially children and persons with limited ability to move and with limited orientation. This is why after serious injuries, including 2 fatal cases, in 2009 and 2010 the CTIA management decided that controls will be carried out also at operators of means of civic entertainment in compliance with competencies given to the CTIA by the Act on General Safety of Products. Although only one case at the Matějská pouť (St. Mathew’s Fair) has been investigated this year, controls at 16 producers of various attractions were carried out until late September and defects were found in 15 cases. Other controls took place at 158 operators: 346 attractions were examined and breaches of obligations were found in 34 cases.

(Prague, August 26, 2011) In the second trimester of 2011, all CTIA inspectorates focused on controls of back wheel driven children’s bicycles with the maximal seat height in the range from 435 to 635 mm. In 17 out of 77 workplaces (22%), inspectors found breaches of obligations and requirements defined for these products by the Act on General Safety of Products (Act No. 102/2001 Coll.). 4 samples were taken to product safety assessment – one product met general safety requirements and other three are still examined. Administrative proceedings will be launched with eight sellers and one case is still being investigated.

(Prague, August, 2011) When choosing a new baby-coach, not only elegant design, but above all safety criteria should be considered by consumers. Results of a continuous control activity of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority can help in this respect. The objective of particular controls is to find out whether products are sold in the Czech market which could damage children’s health due to inconvenient mechanical and physical features, bad construction or insufficient or incorrect information on use of products. During the second trimester of 2011, failures to obligations defined by the Act on General Safety of Products were found in 7 cases out of 42 controls (16.6%). One of two taken baby-coaches failed examination.

(Prague, August 19, 2011) Playgrounds are the most frequent destination for mothers and grandmothers with children; these place are also popular among kids from kindergartens the same as among pupils and also those who have already left school. “Playgrounds’ equipment must meet safety conditions for all members of such a large community of people of various age,” said Jan Štěpánek, the Acting Director General of the CTIA. This fact was proven also by the results of technical controls of play elements and playgrounds’ equipment carried out by CTIA inspectors who found breaches of safety requirements in more than one fourth of all cases.

(Prague, May 16, 2011) Partial results of CTIA controls focused on baby-coaches suggest that distributors pay more attention to this assortment than they used to do in previous years. Breaches of obligations defined by the Act on General Safety of Products (Act No. 102/2001 Coll.) were found only in 3 of 24 controls that were carried out during the first trimester 2011.

(Prague, May 13, 2011) During the first trimester of 2011, CTIA inspectors checked 54 workplaces offering children bikes with the maximal seat height in the range from 435 to 635 mm and with the back wheel drive. Breaches of obligations and requirements defined for these products by the Act on General Safety of Products (Act No. 102/2001 Coll.) were found in 11 of them (i.e. 20 %). All inspectorates of the CTIA are involved in the control activity which will be held during the whole year.