The time from peeking at a carefully drawn up wish list to filling up a shopping bag is a short one, often crammed into hectic hours of scanning store shelves to find just the right item to make a child happy. The product safety division inspectors at the Texas Department of Health want those gift selections to not only fulfill the child's wish list, but be safe ones as well.
Awareness is the key.
To emphasize that awareness, TDH inspectors make the rounds of retail stores several days each fall looking for children's items that have been recalled. These recalled items should not be out on shelves for sale. These items are 10 out of hundreds recalled annually, and TDH's product safety inspectors investigate problems and look out for potential dangers year round. CPSC sends its recall notices to major retail stores across the country and store managers are then instructed to remove these recalled items and return them to the manufacturer. Some stores also post notices to inform consumers who may have bought the item before the recall.