Beware with secondhand kids' items

Whether you are buying goods from an ad in the newspaper, online or at a house sale, research and choose carefully — safety is essential.

Some children’s products, especially bassinets and cribs, have caused deaths and have been the subject of numerous recalls.

Check Consumer Affairs’ website, www.ca.gov.bm, and look at the recall list before you purchase any used children’s product.

Here are some things to remember before buying used children’s items:

Strollers

Check the wheels are still rolling smoothly;
Check frame is sturdy;
Test the brakes;
Look closely for any damage, such as sharp edges or uncovered springs;
Verify that the stroller has not been recalled;
Check the age. Strollers older than 10 years are not considered safe for use.
The plastics used to make them begin to deteriorate and the model may not comply with the current safety standards or regulations, such as lead testing.

Cribs

Unless the crib can be fully assembled and operates correctly, contains all the original hardware and the instructions are included, do not buy it.

Make sure the crib is not the subject of a recall;
Slats should be spaced no more than 2 3/8 ins apart;
Make sure there are no missing or loose slats;
Do not buy a crib with a drop-side — millions of these have been recalled;
Make sure the crib has a properly-sized mattress.
The mattress is too small if you can fit more than two fingers between the edge of the mattress and the side of the crib. An infant can get his head or body wedged in the space and suffocate;
Corner posts are no more than 1/16 ins high. They can be catch points for objects or clothing worn and cause strangulation;
No missing, broken or loose hardware;
No decorative cut-outs in the headboard or footboard. Cut-outs can entrap a child’s head;
No unsecured mattress support hangers that can be dislodged. Children can be trapped and suffocate;
Check that there are no broken or wobbly bars;
All bolts and screws should be firmly in place and not protruding;
Corner posts should not stick up more than 5mm;
Make sure the mattress fits the crib snugly and that there are no gaps which would allow a child to become trapped beneath it.

Car seats

Check there are no broken or wobbly bars;
All bolts and screws should be firmly in place and not protruding;
Corner posts should not stick up more than 5mm.

Highchairs

A wide base to stop the chair tipping;
A five-point safety harness — shoulder straps as well as waist straps and a crotch strap — to stop the child climbing out;
No sharp edges, or open tubes or gaps where fingers could get caught;
Tray can be secured so the child cannot remove it;
There should be no splits in the chair’s seat or back — a child could pick out or choke on pieces of foam padding;
If the chair has wheels there should be brakes on at least the rear wheels.

Bath products

Used baby bathtubs are fine as long as the lining isn’t full of mould or mildew. If the tub has an odour, stay clear of it;
Do not use second hand bath seats, bath rings and inflatable tubs since they have been responsible for many baby deaths;

Look for scratches or other signs of wear and tear in the plastic. Old plastics are more apt to leak chemicals and scratches can also harbour bacteria.


The Consumer Protection Act 1999 and the Sale of Goods Act 1978 (as amended 2002) have limited application to buying goods privately. If you do buy from a seller who was dishonest about the reason for selling the product, you may be entitled to a refund but compensation will have to be decided in court.