Some children’s furniture on the market is not as safe as it looks, the city’s consumer rights protection watchdog said yesterday after conducting inspections.

Furniture checked by inspectors had sharp edges, did not have safety holes for ventilation, and lacked display warnings as well as proper wall fittings, said officials.

The checks follow controversy over IKEA furniture being sold in China after six children in North America were killed in tip-over accidents.

“Children’s furniture failing to meet safety standards could easily lead to safety incidents, particularly during the summer vacation when children are left alone at home unmonitored,” said Liu Yueguo, a furniture expert with the Shanghai Consumer Rights Protection Commission.

China requires that children’s furniture does not have sharp edges; does not have glass parts below 1.6 meters; and that wall fittings be provided for cabinet products that are higher than 60 centimeters.

The rules apply to furniture designed for users between the ages of 3 and 14.

Several desks labeled “Red Apple,” a big domestic furniture brand, on sale at a mall in Putuo District were found to have sharp edges and two wardrobes did not have ventilation holes.

Furniture for children with over 0.03 cubic meters of enclosed space must have two separate ventilation holes in case they become trapped inside, according to the national standard.

The sellers of the furniture claimed the furniture was for users above age 14, but their brilliant color, cartoon decorative features and size indicated they were intended for use by those who are younger, commission officials said.

A “Kooka” mirror over 1.6 meters in height produced by a Guangdong Province furniture firm and a mirror labeled “Color Life” made by a company in Guangdong were found to be potentially dangerous for children, according to the commission. Both were being sold in Putuo.

Both the sellers and producers have been asked to address the matter, said the commission.

(Source: ShanghaiDaily  Author: Hu Min)