Drop-side cribs are outlawed
A drop-side crib.
According to a story by The Associated Press, the government Wednesday officially outlawed drop-side cribs. This move comes after millions of recalls and 30 infant deaths in the past 1o years.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission reached a unanimous decision to ban the manufacturing, sale and resale of drop-side cribs, which have a side rail that moves up and down. Hotels and day care centers also would be prohibited from using these types of cribs.
To read the full story, click here.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
CPSC gives tips for toy shopping, safe play
With the holidays quickly approaching, and the biggest shopping day of the year this Friday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission releases its “top tips for a safer holiday toy shopping and playing experience.”
1. Always choose age-appropriate toys for children. Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings.
2. Include safety gear whenever shopping for sports-related gifts or ride-on toys including bicycles, skates and scooters. Helmets and other safety gear should be worn properly and be sized to fit.
3. Be aware of your child’s surroundings during play. Young children should avoid playing with ride-on toys near streets and traffic, pools or ponds. They should avoid playing in indoor areas near hazards such as kitchens, bathrooms or rooms with corded window blinds.
4. Once gifts are opened, immediately discard plastic wrappings or other packaging from toys.
5. Battery-charging should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose a thermal burn hazard to young children.
6. For children younger than 3, avoid toys with small parts and small balls. For Children younger than 6, avoid toys with small magnets. Keep all young children away from broken balloons. Keep deflated balloons away from children 8 and younger. Balloons are a choking hazard.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
Have a Shrek glass from McDonald’s?
If so, you’ll want to stop using it immediately and go to www.mcdonalds.com/glasses to get refund information. About 12 million of these collectible glasses have been sold since May for about $2 each.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of these “Shrek Forever After 3D” glasses after cadmium was found in the designs printed on them.
For the full recall report, click here.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
Simplicity and Graco cribs recalled
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision this week announced the recall of Simplicity full-size cribs with tubular metal mattress-support frames and the voluntary recall of Graco-Branded Drop Side Cribs Made by LaJobi.
The cribs were recalled due to suffocation and entrapment hazards.
Simplicity crib recall
For the Simplicity cribs: The crib’s tubular metal mattress-support frame can bend or detach and cause part of the mattress to collapse, creating a space into which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged, entrapped or fall out of the crib.
CPSC received a report of a 1-year-old child from North Attleboro, Mass. who suffocated when he became entrapped between the crib mattress and the crib frame in April 2008. CPSC is aware of 13 additional incidents involving the recalled cribs collapsing due to the metal mattress- support frame bending or detaching.
The recalled cribs were sold at Walmart, Target, Babies ‘R’ Us and other stores nationwide for between $150 and $300. Consumers should contact the store where the crib was purchased to receive a refund, replacement crib or store credit.
This recall involves ALL Simplicity cribs with tubular metal mattress-support frames. Due to the fact that simplicity and its parent company are no longer in business the CPSC has limited information about the number of cribs sold and exact model numbers. Thus model numbers include, but are not limited to the following:
Aspen 4-in-1: 8755
Chelsea Deluxe 4-in-1 Convertible Sleep System: 8324
Graco 4-in-1 Ultra Sleep System: 4600
Graco Aspen 3-in-1: 8740
Simplicity Crib and Changer Combo: 8994
Simplicity Ellis Deluxe 4-in-1 Convertible Sleep System: 8676
Simplicity Nursery-in-a-Box Convertible Crib: 8910
Simplicity has been the subject of almost a dozen recalls since 2005 ands its cribs and bassinets have been linked to 13 deaths. Previous recalls included all Simplicity dropside cribs.
For more information about the Simplicity crib recall, go to http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10211.html.
Graco crib recall
For the Graco cribs: The drop side hardware 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 and the crib mattress in which infants and toddlers can become wedged or entrapped, posing a risk of suffocation and strangulation.
The Graco cribs were sold at children’s product stores and other retailers nationwide from February 2007 to March 2010 for between $140 and $200.
Consumers should immediately stop using the Graco cribs. But unlike the Simplicity cribs, users of the Graco brand can contact LaJobi to receive a free hardware retrofit kit that will immobilize the drop side.
Model numbers include the following:
Ashleigh Drop Side: 3280142, 3280154, 3280181
Hampton Drop Side: 3080136
Jason Convertible Drop Side: 3290235, 3290254, 3290281
Kendal Drop Side: 3570170, 3570181
Lauren Drop Side: 3250235, 3250242, 3250247, 3250254, 3250281, 3250282, 3150281, 3150282
Rachel Convertible Drop Side: 3300236, 3300281
Sarah Drop Side: 3000135, 3000136, 3000142, 3000147, 3000154, 3000181
Shannon Drop Side: 3010136, 3010154, 3010181
Tifton Drop Side: 3090136, 3270136
For more information about the Graco crib recall, go to http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10212.html.
To receive e-mail updates about recalls especially those related to baby and children products, go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.
Two major recalls issued
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced two more major recalls.
Strollers:
Graco has issued a voluntary recall of their Passage, Alano and Spree strollers and travel systems. The hinges on the canopy pose a fingertip amputation/laceration hazard when the canopy is being opened or closed. These strollers/travel systems were sold at Babies R Us, Walmart, Target and other major national retailers.
There are 1.5 million strollers affected by this recall.
To see complete information about this recall, including model numbers, click here.
Cribs:
More than 630,000 Dorel Asia cribs have been recalled. The drop side hardware is faulty, causing it to detach and fall in some cases. There has been a report of one infant death by entrapment/strangulation and other infant injuries have been reported. These cribs were sold in Sears and Walmart stores.
For more information regarding this recall, including pictures and model numbers, click here.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
Massive recall of window coverings issued
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today has released a recall of all Roman blinds, roll-up shades and some vertical blinds in homes with children. The report says there is a risk of strangulation to young children.
This recall involves millions of blinds, as the CPSC estimates 5 million Roman blinds and 3 million roll-up blinds are sold EACH YEAR.
Anyone with these types of blinds is urged to go to www.windowcoverings.org or call (800) 506-4636 to receive a free repair kit. In the meantime, the CPSC has issued these important guidelines:
1. Examine all shades and blinds in your home. Be sure there are NO accessible cords on the front or back.
2. Do not place cribs, bed or other furniture close to windows, where children can climb on them and gain access to cords.
3. Make loose cords completely inaccessible.
4. If the shade has looped bead chains or nylon cords, install tension devices to keep the cord taut.
Since 2006, the CPSC has received reports of 5 deaths and 16 near-strangulations. And those are only reported numbers. Please consider this an urgent problem that needs to be addressed if your home has these types of blinds.
For full recall information, click here.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
