More drop-side cribs fail in use

As of June 28, 2011, new, mandatory federal crib rules were set in place that required all cribs manufactured and sold after that date meet new and improved safety requirements. Cribs manufacturer before that do not meet the new standard and can have a variety of safety concerns that could lead to infant suffocation or other serious injury. 

More drops-side cribs were recalled for entrapment and fall hazards.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that cribs older than 10 years old should not be used.  Hardware that allows the drop-side function has traditionally been plastic, and tends to wear out over time,  creating the potential for the movable side rail to separate away from the crib mattress. Alarmingly, the most recent crib recall [below] includes cribs that were merely a few years old.

On November 2, 2011, the Canadian children’s product manufacturer, Dutailier Group, announced a recall for 440 of their wooden drop-side cribs in a variety of colors and styles.  These cribs were sold in children’s specialty retail stores January 2009 through February 2010 at a cost of $425 to $775. 

Sixteen reports have been received for side rails detaching, with no injuries taking place. Gaps between the rail and mattress present a serious potential suffocation or strangulation hazard.

Dutailier crib style in recent recall.  
NOTE: The marketing shown here is an example of how consumers
are duped into believing that a crib should be "decorated."  Consumers
beware - In addition to drop-sides separating, the American Academy of
 Pediatrics state that crib bumpers, quilts, blankets and other in-crib
accessories can also be deadly inside an infant's crib.

For full information on the styles, SKU numbers, colors and return information, check out the CPSC recall here.

Contact Dutailier via phone at (800) 363-9817

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.  

Disney Princess Trike Safety Recall Extended

Kiddieland Toys Limited is a family affair.  Headquartered in Hong Kong with a U.S. Office in Massachusetts, the Lo family began their venture into the toy business in the 1960’s, and subsequently established the Kiddieland company 1998.  They partnered with Disney, Inc. in 2002 to become a Disney licensee in a specific category of toys that they call “floor to foot.”  Toys in this category are intended to stimulate and challenge the developing toddlers from crawling stage to walking stage.

In April 2011, 9,700 Disney Princess Plastic Racing Trikes were recalled by Kiddieland due to three reports of facial lacerations during child use. The hard plastic castle and princess figures at the top of the handle bar were sharp and hazardous should a child fall forward onto the figures while playing.  Obviously children at this “toddling” stage are not steady on their feet and often lose their balance. The trikes in this earliest recall were sold across the USA and Canada from January 2009 through April 2011. At that time, Kiddieland urged customers to contact them immediately for a replacement trike that was re-designed with a clear plastic cover over the castle and princess figures.

Today, Kiddieland issued a subsequent recall for an additional 12,000 of the Disney Princess Plastic Racing Trikes that were sold in the USA from July 2009 through December 2009, and had the same open design. This recall was prompted by a report received by Kiddieland in which a 3-year old Ohio girl received a laceration close to her eye during play. The trikes involved in this most recent recall were sold exclusively through Target retail stores. A full written description of the trike shown here can be found in the CPSC press release.  

Consumers who have purchased this trike should remove the toy from child’s play area and contact Kiddieland immediately for a free replacement.  Contact the USA Kiddieland office at (800) 430-5307, or via their website at or www.kiddieland.com.hk .

SAFETY NOTE:  Kiddieland is quick to point out that “this product – and ALL Kiddieland products - have passed all safety tests required by the countries and territories in which they are marketed and sold. “

In fact, this is true of the great majority of toys involved in CPSC safety recalls. Now you understand why you must be a smart consumer.  Toys for young children can pass a safety specification test and STILL be basically unsafe for use.  It could be suggested that a manufacturer’s risk assessment team should have thought about this during the design stage. However, safety smart consumers understand the importance of evaluating each toy themselves to determine if it is appropriate for the developmental age(s) for which the toy is intended.