Weekly Quality Report丨Sampling inspection of nearly 30% of unqualified children's scooters, these safety hazards cannot be ignored

  Toy scooters are very popular, but sellers and buyers often have different opinions on safety performance.

  With a structure of approximately ninety degrees, if a child falls on it, it is possible to stab the body, which is a dangerous protrusion.

  Blindly pursue cost reduction and cut corners in the production process. For example, the metal pipe fitting of the toy scooter body is to reduce the thickness of the tube wall at will, which also reduces the overall strength of the toy scooter.

  Toy scooter is a kind of sports and leisure tool that children like. In some places where children often gather, it is often seen that one is in hand.

However, spot checks showed that a considerable part of such a well-loved product may cause unexpected accidental harm to children.

1. The safety of toy scooters, sellers and buyers have different opinions

  In recent years, toy scooters, a sport and leisure tool for children, have become increasingly popular.

In some kindergartens in Beijing, many parents use toy scooters to pick up and drop off their children.

Market demand is also reflected in the e-commerce platform.

The reporter entered "toy scooters" on an e-commerce platform to search, and nearly 4,000 related products appeared. In some online stores, reporters saw that some businesses had monthly sales of more than 10,000 vehicles.

The selling points of these businesses on toy scooters are mostly focused on training children's physical balance and physical coordination, and some even claim that their products can promote children's intellectual development.

The reporter noticed that almost all businesses emphasize the safety of products, which will bring more joy to children’s childhood; but in the evaluation area, some consumers gave “too bad”, “particularly bad”, and “cannot turn the corner”. ”And other evaluations that express poor quality.

2. The first consideration for consumers in purchasing decisions is safety

  During the investigation, the reporter found that when most consumers buy toy scooters, safety is the most important point; and merchants, whether it is an e-commerce platform or a physical store, repeatedly emphasize their product safety when selling products.

  However, in further investigation, the reporter found that in actual use, safety accidents caused by toy scooters have occurred frequently.

These accidental injuries that shouldn't happen have attracted the attention of the regulatory authorities.

Not long ago, the Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Department organized special inspections on the quality of children's scooters.

Lang Minfei, Product Quality and Safety Supervision and Administration Office of Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Administration:

Because toy scooters are suitable for children and infants, in fact, the self-protection ability of infants and young children is relatively weak, so this product has potential safety hazards. .

We believe that product quality problems will be relatively serious.

3. Nearly 30% of children's scooters are unqualified

  The results of the spot check showed that children's scooters, a product related to the safety of children, have outstanding quality problems, and nearly 30% of them are unqualified.

Lang Minfei, Product Quality and Safety Supervision and Management Office of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Market Supervision:

25 batches of samples were

selected in

this random inspection, and 7 batches were found to be unqualified. The overall unqualified detection rate reached 28%.

  The reporter learned that of the 25 batches of samples inspected by the Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Bureau this time, 12 batches were from physical stores, of which 2 batches were unqualified, and the unqualified rate was 16.7%.

Of the 13 batches of samples from e-commerce platforms, 5 batches were unqualified, and the unqualified rate was much higher than that of physical stores, reaching 38.4%.

For all 7 batches of unqualified samples, the problems are mainly focused on five items such as the strength of the riser, the accessibility of holes, gaps, mechanical devices, prominent parts, electrical accessories, and plastic bags or plastic films used in packaging or toys. on.

4. Inspection personnel: the strength of the riser directly relates to the personal safety of children

  In the inspection agency, the inspector told the reporter that unlike other children's sliding tools, most toy scooters have a stem tube that can be adjusted in length to meet the needs of children of different heights; after adjusting the length of the riser tube , Through this locking device, the adjusted length is fixed.

Then, whether this locking device can ensure that the standpipe is not damaged or suddenly collapsed during the use of the scooter is directly related to the physical safety of the child using it.

The test item is called the strength of the stem.

According to the requirements of the standard, during the downward force resistance test, the locking device of the standpipe must remain stable and not collapse, break, damage or fail.

However, the reporter from the testing agency saw that when the inspectors put two weights weighing 25 kilograms on both sides of the handle of this sample car for testing, an accident happened.

  According to the inspector, once such an accident occurs when a child is actually riding, it is very easy to cause injury to the rider.

Chen Hong, Toys and Baby Products Section, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

During use, children may press their bodies on the handles, causing the handles to be pressed down. If it is not locked, the entire front part will move If the child falls down, the entire child may fall over and cause injury.

  The reporter learned that of all 7 batches of unqualified samples in this random inspection, 2 batches were because the strength of the riser did not meet the standard requirements.

  The strength of the riser tube cannot meet the requirements of the national standard, which may cause damage to the tube body and cause accidental injury.

During further investigation, the reporter found that there is still a component on the toy scooter, even if it is not damaged, it may cause harm to children.

Zhang Yating, Toys and Baby Products Section of Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

The handle of this toy scooter is made of steel material, and then if it falls on the ground, it will form this kind of approximately ninety degrees. If a child falls on a raised part, there is a risk of stabbing the body. This is called a dangerous protrusion.

  According to the inspector, it is not uncommon for the car body to fall to the ground during the process of riding a toy scooter. The handlebar raised like this has become a dangerous protruding part.

Therefore, the national standard specifically requires the protruding parts of toy scooters.

Zhang Yating, Department of Toys and Baby Products, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

The steel structure of the metal like the handlebar needs to have this kind of protective cover, and that is to say, this protective cover has passed through seventy cattle. The pulling force cannot be pulled off.

So what is the concept of seventy oxen? The force that our children can pull is the force of seventy oxen.

5. The grips of individual products are easily pulled off

  According to national standards, the end of the toy scooter handle should be equipped with an enlarged handle cover to prevent metal parts from directly contacting the body, while effectively increasing the surface area of ​​the handle that may come into contact with the skin, and minimizing the possibility of stabs the body.

The protective effect of the handle cover on children is obvious, but the reporter saw in the laboratory that the handle cover of this children's scooter was easily pulled off during the pull test, which did not meet the national standard requirements.

Zhang Yating, Toys and Baby Products Section, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

This product is in the process of testing. We have passed the tensile test. At 56 cattle, its protective cover was pulled off.

  In a further interview, the reporter learned that the handle cover of the toy scooter must not only be durable, but also the size and specifications of the end of the national standard.

Zhang Yating, Toys and Baby Products Section, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Inspection Technology Center:

It is the end of its protective cover. Its diameter must be greater than or equal to 40 mm, which means that its handle cannot be too thin.

If it is too thin, there is a risk of this protrusion if it falls over during the ride of the child.

  According to the inspector, if the diameter of the end of the handle is less than 40 mm, it will still form a protruding part for the majority of children and will not be able to protect it.

In this spot check, there were 3 batches of samples whose end diameters did not meet the requirements of national standards.

  The stem is not strong enough, and the diameter of the handle sleeve of the protruding parts does not meet the requirements of the national standard, which will bring hidden dangers to children's physical safety.

With the in-depth investigation, the reporter found that even if the quality of the individual parts of the toy scooter is good for children, if the design is unreasonable, it may also cause harm to children.

The thickness and depth of the height adjustment hole accessible by children on the standpipe is clearly defined by national standards.

Chen Hong, Toys and Baby Products Section, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

The standard stipulates that the thickness of the round hole is 1.58 mm. If it is larger than this 1.58 mm, we judge that the thickness of the round hole is thick enough to not cause cuts on the child’s fingers. Hazard, but if it is less than 1.58 mm, we proceed to the next step to check the insertion depth of the circular hole. We check whether the insertion depth is greater than 10 mm. For a child’s finger, whether 10 mm can penetrate into the knuckle completely. .

  Not only the thickness and depth are specified, but the diameter of the circular hole also has specific requirements.

Chen Hong, Toys and Baby Products Section, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

The diameter of a circular hole is required by the standard to be either less than 6 mm, or a circular hole greater than 12 mm and less than 6 mm. Children’s fingers cannot If it is more than 12 mm, the child’s finger can be freely taken out after it is inserted.

Sixth, there is a big hidden danger of unqualified adjustment holes accessible to children

  According to the inspector, the reason why the national standard specifies the thickness, depth and size of the accessible height adjustment hole on the handlebar of the toy scooter has only one purpose, and that is to prevent children from inadvertently putting their fingers into this extreme Easily overlooked parts are either cut or stuck, causing undue accidental injuries.

However, the reporter learned during the interview that among the 7 batches of unqualified samples checked this time, 4 batches of samples were judged as unqualified products because the accessible height adjustment holes on the riser did not meet the requirements.

  Improper design of the fixed round holes on the standpipes has hidden dangers, and improper design of the gaps between the wheels and the movable parts of the car body will also bring risks to children.

Chen Hong, Toys and Baby Products Section, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Inspection Technology Center: The

gap between the movable parts, the part of which, the wheel is constantly rolling, once the child’s finger is caught in it, it will not be able to be pulled out, resulting in relative squeezing. Pressure injury.

And this squeeze damage will continue, because the movable part of the wheel is always rolling.

  In order to ensure that the user's fingers are not pinched and injured, the national standard also requires the gap between the wheel and the car body.

Chen Hong, Toys and Baby Products Section of Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

The requirements of this movable part gap test clause is that the movable part gap between the wheel and the body must be less than 5 mm, or greater than 12 mm, this specific value The requirement is that when the gap is less than 5 mm, the child’s finger cannot fall into the gap of the movable part, and when the gap is greater than 12 mm, the child’s finger can easily be taken out of the gap even if the gap is greater than 12 mm. from.

  The gap between the wheel and the car body should not be between 5 and 12 mm to ensure that children’s fingers either cannot reach in, or can be freely taken out after reaching in.

However, in this spot check, there were 4 batches of samples that did not meet the requirements of the national standard for the clearance between the rear wheel and the car body, and were judged as unqualified products.

  The reporter learned that in this random inspection, there were still 6 batches of samples, which were unqualified for plastic bags or plastic films used in packaging or toys.

Some samples even failed in multiple test items.

  Either the strength is not up to standard, or the gap and hole size are not up to standard. The inspector pointed out that all the problems point to a crux. The lack of safety awareness is behind the excessive pursuit of cost reduction.

Industry insiders told reporters that in fact, the market capacity of toy scooters is increasing day by day, but relative to the rapid development of market demand, the overall quality of toy scooters has improved, but it seems unsatisfactory.

In other words, cost competition is not a wise choice for manufacturers under the current market conditions.

The specific situation continues to look at our report.

  The reporter learned during the interview that there are currently about 600 companies producing toy scooters in my country, mainly in Zhejiang, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Hebei and Shandong.

Ni Binbin, Toys and Baby Products Section, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

Toy scooters are a relatively niche product in toys and children’s products, but in recent years it has developed rapidly. The number of production companies and products produced in various regions The numbers have risen sharply.

  Professionals told reporters that the ever-increasing market capacity has promoted the development of my country's toy scooter industry to a certain extent. At present, more well-known brands have appeared in some production areas.

However, relative to the rapid development of market demand, the overall quality of toy scooters has improved, but it seems unsatisfactory.

Ni Binbin, Toys and Baby Products Section, Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center: The

main problem with toy scooters is that there is a mechanical physical performance problem. For example, the diameter of the round hole on its steel material does not meet the standard requirements. Or there are sharp edges, sharp points, burrs, etc. during the production process, or there is a risk of fingers pinching in the gap between the wheel and the car body.

Seven, quality problems are mostly due to weak safety awareness of production enterprises

  According to professionals, the structure of toy scooters is relatively simple, basically consisting of four parts: pedals, wheels, stems, and handlebars, and the technical content is not high.

The main problems are focused on the strength of the riser, the prominent parts, and the mechanical and physical properties of the holes, gaps, and the accessibility of mechanical devices. This shows that some manufacturers have a weak awareness of product quality and safety in order to one-sided pursuit of profits.

Ni Binbin, Toys and Baby Products Section of Shanghai Customs Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Technology Center:

In the production process of toy scooter manufacturers, they are blindly seeking to reduce costs and cut corners in the production process, such as the metal in the body of the toy scooter. The pipe fitting is to reduce the thickness of the pipe wall at will, and it also reduces the overall strength of the toy scooter, which will cause the failure of the strength to occur.

8. Warning from regulatory authorities: pay attention to the thickness of the riser wall when purchasing

  The wall thickness of the riser tube does not meet the standard requirements, and the company reduces production costs. However, for children who use the product, if they accidentally put their fingers into the accessible height adjustment hole on the riser, they will be cut. At the same time, this also seriously affects the strength of the stem, making it more likely to collapse, break or damage the locking device.

The regulatory authority warned that consumers must be careful to distinguish when buying toy scooters that involve child safety.

Lang Minfei, Product Quality and Safety Supervision and Administration Office of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Market Supervision:

Choose products that meet national standards and avoid choosing three-no products and products that do not expressly implement standards.

At the same time, we recommend that consumers try to avoid products that are significantly lower than the market price when purchasing products. Then these products may cut corners and may lead to unstable product quality.

  The reporter learned that the Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Bureau has already made relevant treatments for the problems found during the random inspection of toy scooters.

Lang Minfei, Product Quality and Safety Supervision and Administration Office of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Market Supervision:

Transfer the substandard product information to the local market supervision and management department in a timely manner, and deal with it in accordance with the law, then the production and sales companies are required to stop selling substandard products as soon as possible , And remove the shelves in time to prevent substandard products from entering the market.