The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a safety guidance report on fidget spinners due to a variety or incidents involving these popular new toys. According to the CPSC, there have been reports of battery-operated fidget spinners catching fire. In addition to ensuring battery-operated fidgets spinners are charged properly and safely, the CPSC also has tips for keeping children safe around these wildly popular new toys. Parents, educators and caregivers need to know what risks are associated with fidget spinners and how to make sure children are safe when handling them.
CPSC’s Fidget Spinner Safety Tips
- Don’t let children under the age of three play with fidget spinners.
- Plastic and metal spinners have small pieces (including batteries) that can be a choking hazard.
- Warn children of all ages not to put fidget spinners or small pieces in their mouths.
- Warn children not to play with fidget spinners near their faces.
Battery-Operated Fidget Spinner Safety Tips
- Have working smoke alarms in your home.
- Be present when batteries are charging.
- Never charge a product overnight while you are sleeping.
- Always use the cable that came with the product.
- If the product did not come with a cable, make sure to use one with the correct connections.
- Unplug your fidget spinner as soon as it’s fully charged.
Reporting Safety Concerns
At this time, we are seeing similar issues with battery-operated fidget spinners as we have seen with hoverboards. Due to the reports of these fidget spinners catching fire, consumers need to pay particularly close attention while charging. If your fidget spinner starts a fire in your home, you need to file a report with the CPSC and contact the product’s manufacturer immediately. Equally important, you need to get in touch with a Personal Injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Fidget Spinner Marketing and Child Safety
Companies should be appropriately labeling and marketing fidget spinners only for certain age groups. If a fidget spinner is marketed for children under the age of 12, the company must certify that the product meets all toy safety and other standards for concerns like phthalates, lead content, lead and paint and other applicable issues.
Alexander Law Group, LLP is always ready to answer questions and share the results of our research and experience with the public. Our goal is to make a difference for our clients and our community.
