AIJU contributes to child safety by means of the development of risk assessment protocols

Jan. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- AIJU is carrying out an R&D project in the field of children's products safety called "Risk Assessment in non-standardised children’s products - CHILDRISK."
The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a methodology for assessing the safety of certain children's products which can be easily found on the market, for which there are no European safety rules currently. For this purpose, AIJU researches work on two main lines of action: the establishment of tests related to the characteristics and use of these products, and the implementation of risk assessment techniques specific to children's products, taking into account the peculiarities of this population.

After the market survey conducted in the framework of this project, we detected the usual marketing of more than 75 products for children or reasonably intended for use by children, which are not standardised and could pose safety and health risks of infants and toddlers.

The development of this project aims to fill the gap with regard to the safety of certain products widely available on the market, for which producers do not have the tools necessary to, on the one hand, ensure that their products have a minimum of safety and on the other hand, prove to the surveillance authorities that they have conducted a thorough risk assessment with satisfactory results, thus complying with the current law.

The safety of children’s products is an essential aspect, because their users are not aware of the potential dangers that may exist when using them, thus being inadvertently exposed to them. The one common factor all children share is that they are substantially less wise and less cautious than most adults in relation to hazards. Inherent characteristics of children, including their stage of development together with their exposure to hazards, put them at risk of injury in ways different from adults. Children are not small adults.

With an expected duration of two years (2010-2011), AIJU performs research and development activities concerning this project thanks the support and funding of the Institute of Small and Medium Enterprises of the Generalitat Valenciana (IMPIVA) and co-financed with FEDER founds.

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The Research Association of Toy Industry and Allied Workers (AIJU) was established in June 1985. It is a non-profit association focused on researching, developing and improving the quality and safety of children’s products. Accredited for toys since 1989, the laboratory is currently increasing accreditations; it is the first laboratory accredited by ENAC for testing toys, childcare products, playgrounds, play equipment and playground surfacing and materials in contact with food. Besides, It is an Inspection Institution accredited by ENAC for playgrounds.
AIJU a member of several forums and committees of national and international standardization related to child safety. It is also a EU Notified Body to issue EC-type certificates according the Toy Safety Directive.
It is the only European center specialised in all aspects of children’s products, from research of raw materials, product design or safety assessment to pedagogy and child development studies.