Mothers of New Babies and Toddlers

Safety

Equipment Safety

Childcare equipment and children’s furniture can be dangerous for infants and young children. Here are simple steps you can take to ensure that you have safe children’s products and that you are using the products safely.

When you buy equipment or toys for your child, read all the manufacturers' directions and safety precautions carefully.
Make sure the equipment is both safe and age-appropriate for your child (that your child is the right age for the equipment).

Health Canada helps protect the Canadian public from hazards that may relate to children’s equipment. It does this by issuing advisories, warnings, and recalls from companies that produce consumer goods and toys. To learn more about this service and to see recent advisories, warnings, and recalls, click here.

The Consumer Product Safety Bureau of Health Canada works with companies, consumers, and the medical community to develop safety rules and standards for many children’s products, such as:

toys,
strollers,
cribs,
playpens, and
safety gates.

To learn more about how you can make your home safer for your children, please refer to Health Canada’s booklet “Is Your Child Safe?” – you can download it here.

Health Canada has also published articles and fact sheets on child care equipment and children’s furniture. You can get more information at the following links:

The Canadian Paediatric Society has also produced booklets that help parents learn ways to keep children safe.