A dummy clip is a dummy clip right? Not exactly….our Dummy clip safety information is an important read and here’s why…
If your little one has a dummy, chances are that at some stage, they have lost at least one by it either being thrown out of the pushchair or it disappears never to be seen again. Getting a dummy clip is a great idea, no more lost dummies, but are they safe?
Can you just buy any one in a store or from the internet on a big marketplace or a small shop that makes such things? You’d think so wouldn’t you, but there are so many on the market that are constructed in a dangerous way, using dangerous components and there are so many regulations and tests that need to be done that it is so important that wherever you choose to buy your dummy clip from, that you ensure that they are safe for your little one to use. If the regulations aren’t followed and the dummy clip is not tested properly, then that dummy clip is illegal to sell.
Unfortunately there are so many on the market that we see when out and about that are so dangerous and most of the time, parents are unaware that the dummy clip safety is vital. When friends that are looking to buy a dummy clip ask me about the ones we make and the safety tests that are involved in and the expense we incur with the dummy clips being tested externally (as some of the tests carried out are far too complex to be carried out in house) they ask questions like ‘how are they allowed to sell them if they are dangerous?’ or ‘I bought it from a reputable marketplace selling all sorts of things, surely large establishments have the relevant safety certifications to allow smaller business to sell dummy clips?’
In some instances yes, but unfortunately whether it is that they are unaware of the regulations or that they choose not to and think that they can watch a You Tube tutorial and that counts as them being made safely, so many dummy clips are sold without the relevant safety certifications and don’t meet the required standards.
In the UK products made are governed by EU safety testing laws, and those that apply to dummy clips, and kids toys in general are pretty tight on what is and what is not ok. You may be surprised at which of those cute little clips you saw on Amazon are not actually legal in the UK.
This post aims to give you the inside track on what is and is not considered safe according to our interpretation of the EU and British Safety guidelines for dummy clip safety and soothers. The post is not intended to ‘out’ anyone or to offend, just to make sure you have the information to make an informed decision.
There are so many things to be aware of when purchasing a dummy clip so here are a few tips and pointers to note, whether buying from a small business or a larger establishment.
Dummy Clip Safety information and what to look out for:
- Length – less than 22cm from the clip connection to the end of the loop
Dummy clips must not be longer than 22cm (not including the clip itself). Any that are made longer than this are illegal and should not be for sale. If you are asked how long you’d like your dummy clip or the dummy clip is visibly longer than this to accommodate a long name if it is personalised for example, that should set your alarm bells ringing.
- Material – non-toxic metals, wood, silicone
All our materials have been chemically tested to EN71-1 and are sent off to an independent UCAS approved testing lab for testing. We can change colour but if we are designing a new clip with a completely new structure the clip has to go off for testing again.
- A safety bead should be present before the knot and loop
This bead needs to be made of wood, metal or a double holed silicone bead, if you can tug the beads over the knot this product is not safe.
- Design – beads over 10mm wide, no loose embellishments and glitter
Dummy clips should also not have anything hanging from them whether that be a teething toy, ribbons or small embellished beads with bits dangling from them. As pretty as they may look, those types of items are a big no no in the regulations. Also, if your dummy clip requires a MAM adapter (a round silicone ring that goes around the ‘bulb’ part of the dummy on the back to secure a MAM dummy to the clip ) this should be permanently attached and should not be able to be removed and should not come separately with the dummy clip for you secure yourself.
- It is crucial that an external testing house carries out the dummy clip safety tests
Not limited to the strength and impact resistance of the dummy clip ensuring that it can withstand the necessary weight and impact set out in the regulations. If a shop states that they have carried out these tests in house or that they have carried out their own safety testing, again, this does not conform to the regulations that we are obliged to follow and would not be safe to sell.
- Dummy Clip Safety tested, with ventilation holes
The clip itself needs to have ventilations of an adequate size, this is incase God forbid the clips gets wedged in a child’s wind pipe. They would be able to breath through the holes provided until removed.
- Safety information included with the product
This is an example of the dummy clip safety instructions that need to be sent out with the product itself to your customers. The information may sound harsh but it’s a legal requirement to add most of this content and word it this particular way. When I sent my first ever dummy clip to be safety tested I failed part of the test due to tweaking the wording “this child may be strangled” it sounded horrific, but it’s a legal requirement to state those words exactly, so I put the information back in as it was stated in the British Standards and it went back off for re-testing and it passed.
- The dummy clip needs to meet BSEN 12586 standards
Whichever products you choose to use insist on quality when it comes to dummy clip safety first above everything else. Nothing is more important than your babies safety. The regulations that any business selling dummy clips are required to follow are BSEN:12586+A1:2011. There are so many elements to the regulations, but any shop selling dummy clips, big or small should be aware and follow these regulations.
BSEN12586 – Child use and care articles. Soother holder
- The beads, cord and all other elements of the dummy clip should be chemically tested
And safe for use on a dummy clip. This is something that can either be tested by the supplier of the beads (which they will have certificated for if they are a reputable supplier) or carried out by the maker of the dummy clip when it goes to the external testing house. This is to make sure that there are no nasties like lead etc in the components of the clip. We highly recommend our supplier Silicone Bead Supplies for safe tested materials.
We have many customers that have done their research and know that dummy clip safety is extremely important. We are more than happy to show our certifications as we pride ourselves on making safe and compliant dummy clips. So wherever you choose to purchase your dummy clip from, the shop should be willing to share their certificates with you prior to your purchase if requested to do so. If they don’t have any, or aren’t willing to share them, even if the dummy clip appears the correct length and made from compliant materials, chances are that their dummy clips as a whole aren’t tested and again, would be unsafe and should not be for sale.
If you have any further questions around our blog on dummy clip safety information then feel free to email us here.
