Introduction:
LED tea lights are frequently used as a supposedly safer alternative for conventional candlelight, especially when exposed to children. However, if the battery compartment of the product is not firmly closed or screwed, even children could get easy access to the contained button cell. Due to their shiny silver surface, the round button cells are extremely attractive to small children. This bears the risk that children remove and accidentally swallow the button call; potentially leading to serious, even life-threatening injuries.

Objectives:
The aim of the study was to find out whether LED tea lights sold in Austria have child-proof battery compartments that can be screwed down tightly, or not.

Methods:
Test purchases were carried in a total of 129 Austrian retail and online shops between in 2022. Online orders were placed in two online shops specialising in kindergarten, handicraft, and school supplies.

Results:
About half (47%) of the tested shops had LED tea lights in stock at the time of the test purchases. However, only 15 percent of them had a firmly screwable and thus child-safe version in their assortment. This is particularly alarming as safety does not seem to be a question of price: childproof LED tea lights are available in shops for as little as € 0.50 cents per piece - so the price is comparable to that of the unscrewed version.

Conclusion:
There are strict legal regulations regarding child safety for toys that are put on the EU market (EN 62115): If toys contain button cells, the battery compartment may only be opened with a tool. For LED tea lights, no such requirement is specified here. European standardisation bodies should consider expanding this requirement to products such as LED tea lights. Retailers are requested to sell only child-proof LED tea lights, on a voluntary basis, even if there is no legal requirement, yet.

Keywords: Child Safety, LED-Tealights, Button Cell Battery, Coin Battery, Product Safety

KFV (Austrian Road Safety Board) - Vienna  - Austria

Introduction:
Swimming is not only a popular leisure activity and healthy sport, but also an important survival technique. Especially for children, the regular practice of swimming skills is important. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many children did not have the opportunity to attend swimming classes as part of their school physical education, and adults were also limited in their ability to practice swimming.

Objectives:
The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 restriction on swimming competence and practice of children.

Methods:
Swimming skills, swimming skill history, and frequency and duration of practice were inquired through two representative mixed-mode household surveys among the Austrian resident population in 2021 (n=2.320) and 2022 (n=2.004).

Results:
21% of the children and adolescents who already know how to swim acquired their skills at school, at least in addition to other means. Children from low-income families are particularly dependent on school swimming lessons. Before the pandemic, the swimming schedule in school for pupils up to 19 years of age comprised a total of approximately 6,200,000 hours per semester. In the first year of the pandemic, about 4,200,000 swimming hours per semester were lost. In the second year of the pandemic, about 2.1 million swimming hours per semester did not take place. Although the share of reported non-swimmers in children (of about 10%) has not significantly changed from 2021 to 2022, negative impacts on swimming skills in those children are likely if the number swimming lessons in school does not reach the pre-pandemic level, soon.

Conclusion:
Being able to swim can be essential for survival. Efforts must be made to raise the capacity of swimming lessons in schools again to pre-pandemic level, at least. Thus, ensuring sufficient swimming skills for children, especially for children from low-income families.

Keywords: Water Safety, Drowning Prevention, Swimming Skills, COVID-19

KFV (Austrian Road Safety Board) - Vienna  - Austria