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"Toy" Helmet Appears: Dangerous Illusion


Summary: In 1996 a new problem appeared in the helmet market: a helmet which did not carry the sticker of any of the standards required by CPSC, but instead was labeled as a "toy" helmet. This helmet was a dangerous illusion. The sticker labeling it as a "toy" may not be read by rushed or illiterate parents. So we notified CPSC.


Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute
A program of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association
4611 Seventh Street South, Arlington VA 22204
(703) 486-0100 Voice, Fax, Fax-on-Demand - - - Internet: helmets @ bhsi.org


Fax Message

April 10, 1996

Mr. Frank Krivda
Office of Compliance
Division of Regulatory Management
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Washington, DC 20207

Dear Mr. Krivda:

A resident of West Virginia has just informed me that the Value City Department Store located at 1 Mall Road, Barboursville, WV 25504-1822 (tel. 304-733-1700) is selling "toy" helmets which have no standards sticker and appear to be non-energy absorbing for 85 cents each. The helmets were originally located on the shelf with the store's bicycle helmets despite being labeled as toy helmets not for use in bicycling, and were selling for $2. When this resident approached the manager about the helmets he was told that they would be pulled and sent back, only to discover some time later that they had instead been moved to the store's closeout table and discounted to 85 cents.

Can this helmet be sold in the U.S. market? Does a sticker of this nature protect the manufacturer against the requirements of the CPSC Interim Rule on helmets?

Thank you for your attention to this matter. The West Virginia resident is sending me a sample of the helmet.

Sincerely yours,

Randy Swart
Director




Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute
A program of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association
4611 Seventh Street South, Arlington VA 22204
(703) 486-0100 Voice, Fax, Fax-on-Demand - - - Internet: helmets @ bhsi.org


Fax Message

April 15, 1996

Mr. Frank Krivda
Office of Compliance
Division of Regulatory Management
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Washington, DC 20207

Dear Mr. Krivda:

I am enclosing a sample of the helmet referred to in my fax message to you of April 10th. It has a sticker saying "This helmet is a toy. It is not safety rated and it will not protect against injuries incurred in a fall or a collision. This helmet is not intended for use with skateboards, roller blades, roller skates, bicycles or similar equipment or contact sports."

As I noted, a resident of West Virginia has informed us that the Value City Department Store located at 1 Mall Road, Barboursville, WV 25504-1822 (tel. 304-733-1700) is selling these helmets. The helmets were originally located on the shelf with the store's bicycle helmets despite being labeled as toy helmets not for use in bicycling, and were selling for $2. When this resident approached the manager about the helmets he was told that they would be pulled and sent back, only to discover some time later that they had instead been moved to the store's closeout table and discounted to 85 cents.

Our question is still can this helmet be sold in the U.S. market? Does a sticker of this nature protect the manufacturer against the requirements of the CPSC Interim Rule on helmets?

Sincerely yours,

Randy Swart
Director