JA2015 - Soothers and Soother Holders

During this project, soothers and soother holders were chosen to be tested to verify compliance with the essential safety requirements. 

The choice of Soothers and Soother Holders was made because these kinds of products are known to make approximately 44 injuries to children 0-4 years, according to Child Safety Europe (ROSPA). Some of the injuries are serious enough to require a visit to the emergency department each year.

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JA2015 - Soothers and Soother Holders

The main issues seen with Soothers are risks of suffocation, choking on small parts, choking due to a lack of removal device, choking due to a lack of ventilation holes and chemical risks. Soother Holders were reported for hazards including choking on small parts, finger entrapment, strangulation on straps and sharp edges.

Objectives

  • to develop best practices and exchange experience with carrying out market surveillance activities for childcare articles;
  • to detect dangerous childcare articles on the marketplace and take action against them;
  • to build on the work undertaken during CCA1, 2, 3 & 4 - thereby increase the safety of products within this product category;
  • to continue to support harmonisation of market surveillance across the EEA within this product sector;
  • further update the CCA Priority List for future Joint Actions.

This work will include surveillance activities, product testing, risk assessment of the products tested and eventual action needed to be taken. Appropriate test methods for the other products would be identified as needed depending on the products sampled.
The Activity sampled and tested 196 soothers and soother holders and the results will be presented at the final conference of the Joint Action. 

The participants

The 13 European Economic Area (EEA) Member States involved in this product activity are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia. Belgium is the lead of the project.

JA2015 CCA5 cover pageThe Final Technical Report of this activity can be downloaded by clicking on the cover page of the report. Very interesting information can be found within this report and it is particularly useful for market surveillance authorities and anybody else interested to know more about market surveillance of Child Care Articles - Soothers and Soother Holders.