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The Electric Blankets (Safety) Regulations, 1971 require that all electric
blankets comply with the technical and constructional requirements of a
British Standard Specification and that warnings as to their correct and safe
use be given on the container or package when the article is offered for sale.
The Toys (Safety) Regulations, 1972 govern the use of certain materials
in the manufacture of toys. In particular, the use of celluloid, other than for
table tennis balls, is prohibited and restrictions are imposed upon the
chemical content of paint applied to toys.
During the year twelve samples of toys, mostly of foreign manufacture,
were purchased from local retailers and submitted to the Public Analyst for
examination of the paint film and, of these, two proved to be unsatisfactory.
In one case the paint on two items of a set of small wooden toy animals
contained 13,000 and 21,500 parts per million respectively of lead whereas
the Regulations prescribe that the proportion of lead shall not exceed 5,000
parts per million in the dry paint film. These toys were imported from Germany
but manufactured in Italy and following consultation with the Town Clerk
warnings were sent to the German importer and the vendor and the Italian
authorities were reminded of the British legal requirements relating to atjch
toys. It was established that the vendor was the only one in this country
supplied with the toys and the remaining stock was duly returned to Germany.
The second unsatisfactory sample consisted of a toy tomohawk painted
in various colours including a yellow paint film containing 71,000 parts per
million of lead and 4,800 parts per million of soluble chromium and a red
paint film containing 20,000 parts per million of lead and 2,400 parts per
million of soluble chromium. In addition to the limitations on lead, the Regulations
prescribe a limit of 250 parts per million of soluble chromium. This
toy, which was manufactured in the Republic of China, was the only one in
stock in the shop although six were original ly supplied by a wholesaler.
Extensive investigations failed to reveal the actual importer of these goods
and the Town Clerk advised that, owing to legal complications, a prosecution
was not appropriate and a warning was therefore issued to the vendor
concerned.
THE FABRICS (MISDESCRIPTION) ACT, 1913
THE FABRICS (MISDESCRIPTION) REGULATIONS, 1959
The above mentioned Regulations prescribe standards of non-flammability
for texti le fabrics which claim to be non-flammable
ANIMAL BOARDING ESTABLISHMENTS ACT, 1963
The above Act, prohibits the keeping of a boarding establishment for
animals (defined by the Act as cats and dogs) except under licence
granted by the local authority.