Media Releases

29 November 1999

Baby Accident a Reminder About Safety

A recent accident has prompted the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to warn parents and caregivers not to lift babies while they are still sitting in baby furniture or toys. This includes baby walkers, portable cots, high chairs, and any furniture or toys that babies can sit in.

A baby suffered very serious injuries after being lifted by the tray of a rocker toy while still sitting in the toy. The tray came apart and the baby fell to the ground.

"We've all seen it done, and probably done it ourselves at some stage," says the Ministry's Standards and Safety Manager, Tony Leverton. "We want to change rooms, or move inside, and instead of taking the baby and the furniture or toy separately, we take them both together. But this accident is a reminder of the dangers - move the baby and the furniture or toy separately (better to have two trips into the house or another room than one trip to hospital)."