Consumer Watch with Candice Evans: From pool fences to batteries and eRideables, stay safe this Australia Day

The Australia Day public holiday is coming up, with many families and friends planning to get together to make the most of the day. We all want to have a safe Australia Day but many summer products can be unsafe if left unattended, not used or stored correctly, particularly with the hot weather expected. For those backyard BBQ gatherings, a portable or in-ground pool may be used to keep cool but they hold significant drowning risks for children if not used properly. It’s important to remember that children need to be supervised around any source of water and a fence is required for any pool with more than 30cm of water. Pool fences should be checked regularly to make sure there are no holes or a broken gate. During gatherings, furniture should not be propped up around the fence and the gate should not be propped open, giving children easy access to the pool while parents are busy. Another risk to younger children is swallowing button batteries which can cause severe internal burns and may be found in Australia Day novelty items that light up or produce sound. Before using any product with button batteries, parents should check the battery is secured properly, such as with a screw, and dispose of the product immediately in an outside bin away from children if the battery is not safely contained. If a button battery does come loose in a product or you need to replace an old button battery in a product, wrap the battery in sticky tape before disposing of it in an outdoor bin. With many firework displays and local events planned all around the State this Australia Day, people may travel in on an eRideable such as an e-scooter or e-bike. As most events will be held outdoors in the hot sun, there is a risk that eRideable lithium-ion batteries may catch fire in the heat. Lithium-ion batteries should not be exposed to excessive heat or moisture, or be charged near flammable materials such as mattresses, wood, paper and plastic. If a lithium-ion battery is swollen, punctured, very hot to touch, leaking or omitting smoke or odour, do not continue use it. Do not dispose of it in your household recycling or garbage bin as it could catch fire. Visit the recycling near you website to find out where to dispose batteries safely in your local area and buy replacement lithium-ion batteries from reputable suppliers only. Candice Evans is senior regional officer for Consumer Protection in the Mid West and Murchison