Navigating child product safety: Perspectives from experts on international challenges and priorities in regulation and research

Catherine Niven, Kim A. Vuong, Luke Nottage, James E. Harrison, Holger Möller, Jesani Catchpoole, Rebecca Ivers, Kirsten Vallmuur

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)
64 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Objective: To elicit and summarise collective expert opinion on contemporary child product safety risks, challenges and priorities. 

Methods: An online survey targeted international experts from a cross-section of product safety fields. 

Results: Fifty-five experts participated, representing 1,137 years of product safety experience, from a broad range of fields including industry risk management, product assessment and testing, policy and regulation, research, paediatric medicine, advocacy and product liability. Participants identified the leading product safety hazards across all age brackets as falls, drowning and chemical hazards, with variance in specific age brackets, particularly the threat to breathing hazards for infants. The leading products of concern to experts were electrical connection/distribution products, primarily button batteries and lithium-ion batteries, infant furnishing products and household furniture. Product safety priorities and challenges were identified under five themes: regulatory, surveillance, industry, consumer and product-specific. 

Conclusions: The gains in knowledge, insight and understanding from experts on contemporary child product safety risks and issues should inform policy and future research. 

Implications for Public Health: There are significant consequences of unsafe consumer products on population health, and the results are timely as we face new product safety issues emerging from e-commerce, the digital transition and innovative product technologies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number100103
Number of pages8
JournalAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Volume47
Issue number6
Early online date19 Nov 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2023

Keywords

  • child safety
  • consumer policy
  • injury prevention
  • product safety

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