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04/08/2005
Which? issues warning over child safety gates
Consumer magazine 'Which?' has raised concerns over five best-selling baby stair gates.
The consumer watchdog said that the majority of the gates tested – which are used to prevent accidents on the stairs and to keep kids out of risky areas like the kitchen – had failed the British Standard tests on one or more aspects.
However, Which? said that many of the problems were comparatively minor, such as not providing enough information in the instructions or, in one case, an edge that was a bit too sharp.
Five of the gates, however, had more serious safety problems, Which? warned.
The report said that the Jonelle Wood & Metal Gate, Bettacare Auto Close and Safety 1st Portable safety travel barrier all had a risk of catching on a piece of child’s clothing, which, in a worst case scenario, could lead to strangulation, the report said.
The Jonelle Metal Extending Gate and the Mothercare Wall Fix Extending Gate were also highlighted in the report as potentially dangerous. Which? said that the gates each had a fixing that could be removed, which would release a spring small enough to pose a choking hazard for small children.
The report recommended that parents should avoid purchasing any of the five gates.
The report praised Lindam’s Extending Safety Gate, sold at Boots, which was also the cheapest gate tested at £17. Which? said that it found the instructions clear and easy to follow, easy to open and with no bar at the bottom to be tripped over.
However, the manufacturers and sellers of the five gates have heavily criticised the report. Bettacare said that its Auto-Close Gate had passed safety tests less than a month before the Which? report.
Department store John Lewis, which sells the two Jonelle models mentioned in the report and Safety 1st also disputed Which?’s findings.
A spokesperson for Mothercare told the BBC that the company would be seeking a retraction from Which? over the criticisms made regarding their safety gate.
Which? said that the danger of an accident occurring with the gates was a “slim possibility”, but that was “not a risk many parents would knowingly be prepared to take”.
Malcolm Coles, Which? editor, said: “Many of the gates we tested were safe and are an effective and relatively inexpensive way to make a home much safer for children.
“We’re concerned about the ones which pose a danger to children still being on the market, though, and would advise people choose one of our Best Buy models instead.”
(KMcA/SP)
The consumer watchdog said that the majority of the gates tested – which are used to prevent accidents on the stairs and to keep kids out of risky areas like the kitchen – had failed the British Standard tests on one or more aspects.
However, Which? said that many of the problems were comparatively minor, such as not providing enough information in the instructions or, in one case, an edge that was a bit too sharp.
Five of the gates, however, had more serious safety problems, Which? warned.
The report said that the Jonelle Wood & Metal Gate, Bettacare Auto Close and Safety 1st Portable safety travel barrier all had a risk of catching on a piece of child’s clothing, which, in a worst case scenario, could lead to strangulation, the report said.
The Jonelle Metal Extending Gate and the Mothercare Wall Fix Extending Gate were also highlighted in the report as potentially dangerous. Which? said that the gates each had a fixing that could be removed, which would release a spring small enough to pose a choking hazard for small children.
The report recommended that parents should avoid purchasing any of the five gates.
The report praised Lindam’s Extending Safety Gate, sold at Boots, which was also the cheapest gate tested at £17. Which? said that it found the instructions clear and easy to follow, easy to open and with no bar at the bottom to be tripped over.
However, the manufacturers and sellers of the five gates have heavily criticised the report. Bettacare said that its Auto-Close Gate had passed safety tests less than a month before the Which? report.
Department store John Lewis, which sells the two Jonelle models mentioned in the report and Safety 1st also disputed Which?’s findings.
A spokesperson for Mothercare told the BBC that the company would be seeking a retraction from Which? over the criticisms made regarding their safety gate.
Which? said that the danger of an accident occurring with the gates was a “slim possibility”, but that was “not a risk many parents would knowingly be prepared to take”.
Malcolm Coles, Which? editor, said: “Many of the gates we tested were safe and are an effective and relatively inexpensive way to make a home much safer for children.
“We’re concerned about the ones which pose a danger to children still being on the market, though, and would advise people choose one of our Best Buy models instead.”
(KMcA/SP)
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