David A Weaver, Douglas County Sheriff

It’s that time of year. Folks are out enjoying the spring weather, looking for bargains – bartering, just having a great time. My Community Resources Unit has put together a list of tips and do’s and don’t’s about conducting a garage sale. Take a minute to look them over.

Have fun! Get rid of a lot of unwanted stuff! Know what you can and cannot sell! And BE SAFE!

With the start of spring most homeowners participate in garage sales throughout the community. To prevent becoming victims of scams, it would be advisable to take some precautionary measures when the homeowner has a garage sale. The purpose of this information is to promote public health, safety and welfare for the homeowner.

Selling any used cribs or playpens at your upcoming garage sale? Children’s clothes with drawstrings or zippers? Pre-1985 books? Rubber duckies or pool floaties?

Better check them twice.

Just like megasize toy manufacturers and stores that sell products from China, the notoriously broad and confusing federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act applies to you and your front yard. Anyone selling products, even used ones, that have been recalled or banned by the act is in violation. The act covers everything from toys with lead paint to cribs that might strangle babies.

“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” warns a 27-page Consumer Product Safety Commission resellers’ handbook
(http://www.atcmag.com/v11n1/article7.asp), released this month. “But more importantly … you do not want to sell products that have the potential to harm anyone, especially a child.”

Besides individuals holding yard sales, the law applies to thrift or consignment stores, charities, flea markets and people who sell on auction Web sites, the handbook says. Unlike manufacturers, resellers aren’t required to test used products for lead and phthalates.

However, they are supposed to educate themselves about safety standards and, somehow, ensure none of their products violates them.

Some things you shouldn’t sell.

• Any recalled product, for children or adults. Cribs, playpens, bunk beds, baby walkers and board books are among commonly recalled products.
• Toys, other children’s products or furniture with paint containing more than the legal limit of lead. Potential culprits include inexpensive children’s metal jewelry and clothes with metal decorations or closures.
• Toys or childcare articles containing more than the legal limit of phthalates. Balls, bath and pool toys, dolls, bibs and teething items are examples of risky items.
• Books with metal spiral bindings or designed primarily for play, like plastic bath books, which may contain lead or phthalates.

Some things you can sell.

• Items made entirely of wood, without paint or hardware.
• Clothes, blankets and other items made entirely of yarn or textiles such as cotton, wool and nylon. Thread, elastic and closures must be non-metallic.
• Traditional books printed after 1985.
• Vintage children’s books and other collectibles not primarily intended for children.

Safety and security during a garage sale.

The first rule of thumb is never operating a garage sale by yourself!
• You should always have enough family members to assist you and to watch your property being sold.
• One family member or the homeowner should always be attending to the cash bank that is being used for cash transactions when purchases are being made.
• All transactions should be in cash only; never accept personal checks, business checks and payroll checks of any type.
• One or two family members should always be watchful of anyone coming onto the premises to browse among the items being sold.
• All entrances into the residence should be securely locked; including backyard gates.
• Never allow anyone into the residence for any reason even if they ask to use the bathroom. Politely refuse and advise them that you need to stay and attend to the other persons browsing among your property.
• Never allow anyone one to distract you; always attend to one individual at a time when you are conducting cash transactions.
• For all cash collected use a locked cash box; never place it in an unsecured location.
• Always have a cell phone or wireless phone near you to contact the police department or fire department in case there is an emergency.

Make sure individuals coming to the garage sale park their vehicles legally and that they don’t block streets, alleys, driveways, crosswalks, fire hydrants and stop signs.

Safe Kids

It is especially important to safe and responsible in selling used infant furniture and equipment. Before you price your used baby equipment at your garage sale, consider this:

If your used crib has:

• Slats farther apart than 2 3/8 inch (or pop can fits between slats)
• Corner posts that are higher than 1/16 inch
• Cutout areas on headboard and footboard
• Any missing or broken parts
• Mattress supports that are easily released from head/footboard

DISPOSE OF THEM (destroy crib before throwing it away!)

If your baby gates/enclosures have:

• Have accordion style or V-shaped openings
• Have openings that are big enough to entrap a child’s head or neck
• Doesn’t have a pressure bar or other fastener that will resist forces exerted by a child

DISPOSE OF THEM (destroy gate before throwing it away!)

If your used high chair:

• Is missing a “crotch” strap
• Is missing restraining straps that are independent of the tray
• Has a tray that doesn’t lock securely
• Doesn’t have a wide base for stability
• Doesn’t have an effective locking device (for folding chairs)
DISPOSE OF IT (destroy high chair before throwing it away!)

If your used playpen:

• Doesn’t have top rails that will automatically lock when lifted into normal use position
• Has rotating hinge/latch in the center of the top rails
• Doesn’t have a warning label about never leaving side in the down position (for mesh playpens)
• Has mesh that has tears or loose threads
• Is wooden with slats more than 2-3/8 inch apart
• Doesn’t have the manufacturer’s pad

DISPOSE OF IT (destroy playpen before throwing it away!)

If your used walker:

NO WALKER is considered safe – destroy them before throwing away!

Car Seats

• If your used car seat:
• Is more than 6 years old
• Is missing the manufacturer’s instructions
• Has been in a car accident (even a minor one)
• Is missing any labels
• Has any missing parts or is damaged in any way
• Has been recalled

DISPOSE OF IT (destroy car seat before throwing it away!)
Guidelines for Destroying Infant/Child Equipment

Cribs

• Dismantle wood slats (cut apart)
• Cut/tear mattress
• Do not attach hardware to crib — dispose of separately
• Write “do not use — contaminated” on equipment

Baby Gates/Enclosures

• Dismantle wood/plastic slats
• Rip/Tear mesh
• Write “do not use — contaminated” on equipment

High Chairs

• Cut all straps/harness off high chair
• Dismantle tray
• Write “do not use — contaminated” on equipment

Playpens

• Rip/Tear mesh
• Destroy padding
• Cut any wooden slats
• Write “do not use — contaminated” on equipment

Walkers

• Take off any wheels
• Cut all straps
• Write “do not use — contaminated” on equipment

Car seats

• Cut all straps
• Cut all fabric
• Write “do not use — contaminated” on equipment
• Bike Helmets
• Cut all straps
• Write “do not use — contaminated” on equipment.