Discussion Paper Summary

April 1998

Household Cot Safety - Ministerial Investigation into the Need for a Product Safety Standard

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs seeks to achieve a fair and informed market place. Part of its role is to promote consumers’ rights to safe products in the market place. Many issues have arisen relating to the safety of nursery furniture products and this discussion document examines options for addressing the safety of household cots. In particular, the discussion document considers the need for the declaration of a Product Safety Standard as a means of ensuring the safety of household cots.

This document has been issued to encourage consumers, traders and other interested parties to consider the issues relating to the safety of cots and put forward their views. This will enable the Ministry to provide the Minister of Consumer Affairs with sound advice on all the issues relating to cots, having taken into account the views of those who are substantially affected.

The document focuses on household cots only. It does not attempt to address the issue of the safety of portable cots. There is a modern trend to use play-yards and portable cots interchangeably, and the joint Australia/New Zealand standard AS/NZS 2195 for portable cots is currently under review. Should it become necessary a separate discussion paper would be prepared.

Discussion Paper - full text

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