Wednesday, April 17, 1996 — North Shore News - 31

Ragging ¢  Sponging ¢ © Martling
Spring Decorative Painting Sale
20% off all paint finishes for

Checking safety features
of used items essential

From page 29

Safety Council and consumer prod-
uct watch groups across the country
are questioning whether “a penny
saved" is in fact worth the risk of
acquiring a potentially hazardous
item. The Canadian Standards
Association's (CSA) audits and inves-
tigation group has plenty of night-
marish scenarios involving electric
blankets, coffee makers, deep fat fry-
ers and other products,

The greatest risk in buying used
appliances is that the consumer
doesn't know how old they are, what
abuse they have taken in addition to

the condition of the appliance’s elee-
irical components.

Anyone who buys a used appli-
ance should have it checked out with
a qualified repair shop or a factory
authorized repair depot before using
it. Perhaps the most common and
highly risky items found at garage
sales are for children. Beyond CSA
standards, children’s items must
meet other swety regulations, for
instance those established under the
H:vardous Products Act. The regula-
tions cover baby gates, walkers,
cribs, cradles, playpens, cur seats
and booster seats and strotlers.

Anyone caught selling items that

fail to meet those sufety standards
cant be held responsible if someone
hus an accident with the product
hought at the garage sale,

Ensuring safety in garage sale
transactions is a two-way street, says
Canada Safety Council president
Emile Therien.

“The awareness level of con-
sumers can be very low,” he says.
“Mest people want fo save money
but are ignorant about safety stan-
dards,"

Gurage sales cun be a con-
stuner’s delight. But getting some-
thing potentially ditngerous to you or
your family is not worth the savings.

Need a mattress”
Go to Mr. Mattress
We only sell
Mattresses

You will be advised of the
best back mattress at a
price to suit your budget.

Why not save
$$$

Fun Chitdnen's Rooms @ Crackel

Walls + Floors * Fireplaces « Furniture

Action INTERIORS

“Creating Magic in your home”
call today 983-0746

1 4 anbigny @ Sarysopy +9709

burdie

GARAGE SALE PRECAUTIONS

Cribs: Forget about cribs made before September 1986; they don't
meet current safety standards, The muttress support found in them, sus-
pended by hooks, is not secure and can collapse easily. These cribs
cannot be fixed to meet the standard and must not be sold or given
away.
Car Seats: All car seats must meet the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard and carry the compliance label —- which states the size of the
child for which the seat is designed — on the side, rear or bottom of
the seat, Instructions must also be provided on how the seat is to he
installed, The date of manufacture of the car seat is important. Seats
over 10 years old are generally regarded as no longer safe.
Toys: Before 1970, there was a plethora of potentially dangerous toys
in the marketplace. In 1970, however, regulations were issued under
the Hazardous Products Act introducing safety standards for toys. The
regulations established ways to help reduce the risk of injury to the
users of toys under conditions of reasonably foreseeable use. Toys
allowed to be sold in Canada are exposed to flammability, electrical and
thermal risk and toxicological testing. But not all toys found in garage
sales are less than 26 years ald, and despite the regulations, others are
~ no longer without risk. Toys that are in poor state of repair or broken
are clearly unsafe, Lawn darts with elongated tips are dangerous and
can no longer be sold.

E 3 : This month at United Carpet you

- can carpet any 3 rooms* in vibrant
“OUR Best PREMIUM INTERIOR colours that work beautifully with
SUPER EGGSHELL LATEX

any decor from casual to formal.
» Scrubbable We offer floor covering to fit any
* High Hiding

= budget or room style at three
-Figh Velel Sheen attractive price ranges. Al
+ White or Pastels carpets come with a
manufacturer's wear warranty
and a five year installation
guarantee.

— nahin ace!
fut ?
OI. BASE STAIN are
* Good for rough siding, S
: shingles & tances. :
s ° Brown, Avocada, Grey, Rust § -

58

3.78 litre

SEMI-GLOSS LATEX
4 « Scrubbable « Kitchen & Baths
F « Water Clean-u
«White & Pastels

1.
3.78 litre

enter to. H
UNITED CARPET.

We make it all so easy.

EXTERIOR ACRYUC LATEX |
* Excellent for wood or masonry
8 * Good Hiding + Resists Paeling |

Accent colours :
Sightly higher price

| INTERIOR FLAT LATEX

«White & aR

Richmond
12660 Bridgeport Road
(Next to Ikea)
273-9674