When will deadly hazard of drawstrings be taken seriously?

The safety guidelines for hooded-jackets with drawstrings has been out for 15 years now, and yet we still see youth jackets being recalled for neck and waist drawstrings. [See March 2011 blog on Fashions and Drawstrings Don't Mix] One wonders what it takes to really educate consumers, retailers, importers and manufacturers about the strangulation hazard posed by these drawstrings.

Recently the CPSC and the Boy Scouts of America announced that they were pulling back 5,400 blue, youth-sized, long-sleeved Cub Scout Wind Tech Jackets manufactured with retractable cords with toggles at both the neck and waist. The jackets included in the recall have the numbers 73291, 73292, or 73293 printed on a retail hangtag attached to the jacket.  The jackets were sold from November 2009 through July 2011 exclusively through Boy Scouts of America retail stores across the nation, as well as their website store at www.scoutstuff.org.  

Cub Scout Wind Tech Jacket

Consumers who purchased one or more of these jackets should immediately & completely remove the drawstrings. Boys Scouts of America can also be contacted for refund if desired. Reach them by phone at (855) 873-2408.

In 1996, CPSC issued safety guidelines for the safe design of hoodies and youth jackets that eliminated drawstrings altogether. Early in 2011 CPSC reinforced these guidelines by voting to approve these voluntary guidelines as a new federal rule. The safety Commission stressed that these drawstring guidelines were issued to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled in the drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts. Strangulations on playgrounds and with moving vehicles have been cited over the years for serious injury and even death.

Drawstring youth hoodies
sold at Macy's

Since 1985, at least 22 children have died from entanglement of clothing hood and neckline drawstrings.  More than 50% of these drawstring entanglement incidents involved playground slides.

In October 2011, Macy's was penalized to the tune of $750,000 for “knowing” selling hoodies, jackets and other youth fashions with drawstrings between 2006 and 2011. These jackets were sold at Macy's Bloomngdale's, and Robinson-May stores across the USA. In the agreement, Macys denies they violated the law.

Sunsations

In September 2011, Sunsations Incorporated was hit with a $60,000 civil penalty for selling fifteen hundred youth sweatshirts at their Sunsations retail stores in Virginia, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  These sweatshirts were the topic of recalls in 2009 and 2011. 
Is it possible that after almost fifteen years of enforcing this clothing guideline, clothing buyers and designers in the USA are still aware of the safety concern with drawstrings in youth clothing?  

What do you think could be done to get the message out more clearly to manufacturers, importers, retailers and even consumers? Leave your comment below to start the discussion.

ACTION STEP:
When in a retail store, consignment shop, garage sale, or thrift shop and one of these hazards is discovered, bring it to the attention of the retail store owner.  Protect children by being proactive and spreading the word.