J.C. Penny recalls Yu Wei drop-side cribs

UPDATE: Health Canada released a press release earlier this week, joining the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in recalling any of these Yu Wei drop-side cribs that may have found their way into Canadian consumers' homes. J.C. Penny has knowledge of twelve cribs being sold online to Canadian customers.

Access Health Canada recall information at this link.

J.C. Penny recalls Yu Wei drop-side cribs

J.C. Penny Purchasing Corporation has announced the recall of about 8,000 drop-side cribs produced by Yu Wei Company, Limited of Taiwan. Penny’s distributed two styles of these drop-side cribs via their website and mail order catalog from January 2006 through December 2010.

Photo: CPSC

It is now commonly known that the hardware, allowing one side of some cribs to move up & down for easier access to an infant, can become worn over time resulting in the breakdown, separation or unexpected release of the side rail. Once the rail is out of its correct position, a gap between side rail and mattress becomes accessible to the infant. Youngsters can wiggle into this gap during play or sleep and be unable to free themselves.  This leads to head entrapment, which far too often results in strangulation and death. An infant can fall out of the safety crib if the side rail drops unexpectedly.  Falls can cause head trauma or other physical injuries.

Drop-side cribs remain a serious concern for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), who banned the manufacture and sale of drop-side cribs earlier in 2011. (See 2/6/2011 blog on Baby Crib Safety-Part 1).  It often takes years for these drop-side problems to emerge, given the wear & tear a crib often endures. In the past cribs have been a treasured hand-me-down tradition, but that practice has been thwarted by the mounting evidence of the dangers presented by worn out crib hardware, or using cribs that are not in completely sound condition. Incorrect assembly of a crib, or “fixing” a crib with duck tape and spare bolts has also been identified as culprits of crib death incidents.

 In the case of the Yu Wei cribs, distributed by J.C. Penny, nine incidents of failing drop-side rails have been reported.  One child suffered from scratches on the arm.  J.C. Penny has joined with CPSC to announce the recall of two styles of cribs (shown below).  Each crib came in three colors: antique white, pecan and dark cherry.

Yu Wei Crib Model #	Yu Wei Crib Style	Date Codes
343-8225	Scroll Crib	01/2006 – 12/2010
343-9117	Lauren Crib	01/2007 – 12/2010

             The model numbers and date codes are visible on inner side of crib ends.

Defective or worn out cribs can be fatal, so customers who are currently using these particular cribs should stop using them immediately and contact the manufacturer, Yu Wei, for a no-charge retrofit kit. Yu Wei can be reached at (877) 806-8190 or at their website: www.yuweicribrecalls.com.

Yu Wei has also made an email option available to consumers.  Email them at yuweiparts@aol.com to order the free repair kit, intended to immobilize the side panel.

More drop-side cribs recalled due to safety hazards

Drop-side cribs manufactured by Shermag, Incorporated, and sold in The Land of Nod specialty stores and other US and Canadian children’s retail stores, are being recalled due to the potential for multiple safety hazards. Approximately 2,300 units in the USA and another 800 cribs in Canada are being taken off the market in response to evidence that entrapment, suffocation, and fall hazards may exist. No child-involved injuries have occurred, but there have been twenty-one reports of the drop-side rails failing or detaching from the crib frame.

As of June 28, 2011, traditional drop-side cribs were banned and stronger safety and testing requirements are mandated. This historical decision was made as a result of a comprehensive study of crib-related infant deaths reported to CPSC between January 2000 and early 2010. Shermag, located in Quebec, Canada, sold the high-end cribs from September 2004 and through December 2008 at a retail price of $400 to $800.

According to the September 29^th CPSC recall, “The drop-side rail hardware on the cribs can break or fail, allowing the drop side to detach from the crib. When the drop side detaches, a hazardous gap is created between the drop-side rail and the crib mattress in which infants and toddlers can become wedged or entrapped, posing risks of suffocation and strangulation. In addition, children can fall out of the crib when the drop-side rail falls unexpectedly or detaches from the crib. Drop-side rail failures can also occur due to incorrect assembly or with age-related wear and tear.”

The wooden Shermag drop-side crib styles involved in this recall include:

• Model 202647
• Model 211047
• Model 272547

The model number is labeled on the crib’s headboard or footboard.  For more details go to Shermag’s website at http://www.shermag.com.  You can also call them at (800) 567-3419.  They are offering a no-cost repair kit that will immobilize the movable side.

Canadian consumers can view Health Canada's press release here.  

To see if your crib has been subject to a safety recall, go to www.cpsc.gov.