AS we race into the festive season and look forward to a break in our busy lives, it’s easy to forget that this is a time for families.

And, with this in mind, I can think of no better time to ask all Canberrans to pay particular attention to the quality and safety of gifts they buy for their children.

All toys sold in Australia must meet our exacting standards, but we should also be cautious and, in particular, pay attention to goods purchased online or sent from overseas. You can check the product safety Australia website for a list of mandatory standards and bans at  productsafety.gov.au

To assist families in making good choices when it comes to toys, Access Canberra works with retailers to ensure that the products they sell comply with mandatory product safety standards and labelling. This work is further supported by inspections of toys that are going to be sold in the lead up to Christmas.

I especially want to draw attention to portable swimming pools and how a few simple precautions will make them safe for all users and, most importantly, those young thrill-seekers in our families.

But first, a few sobering facts; in 2013/14, 20 children between the ages of 0-4 drowned in portable swimming pools in Australia and many more were hospitalised as a result of a drowning incident in a portable swimming pool.

A single death is one too many and we can do a lot to minimise the risk of drowning or serious injury. Here are some straightforward and practical tips provided by Royal Life Saving Australia that we can all put into practice right now.

• Fencing is an important consideration and in the ACT you are required to fence around all pools with a depth over 300mm.
• Actively supervise young children by keeping them in arms’ reach whenever they are in or near water.
• Never rely on older children to supervise younger children.
• Smaller pools should be emptied and put away after use and you should ensure that they cannot fill with rainwater or water from sprinklers.
• Don’t exceed the maximum number of people that the pool can safely hold.

Pools, no matter what their size, should be fun as they form an intrinsic part of our Australian lifestyle. Let’s keep them safe for all and, most importantly, for the young children that are such an important part of an Aussie Christmas.

David Snowden is the ACT Fair Trading commissioner.