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
Three deaths prompt recall of baby slings
One million baby slings made by Infantino have been recalled following the deaths of 3 infants in 2009. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has stated that there is a danger of suffocation with use of these baby slings in children younger than 4 months old.
These recalled slings have been sold in the U.S. and Canada from January 2003 to March of this year. Stores carrying the slings included Walmart, Target, Babies R Us, Burlington Coat Factory and on the Web at Amazon.com.
I had this exact sling when my son was born. But I had to return it because he was too big to fit inside without it straining my neck. If you have this sling, or know someone who does, don’t take any chances. Contact Infantino to get a free replacement product, like an activity gym or shopping cart cover (which I personally recommend and still use!). Go to www.infantino.com to get replacement information.
For complete recall information, click here.
-Erica Smith
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
More than 2 million cribs recalled
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the voluntary recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including almost 150,000 bearing the Fisher-Price logo.
Because of the danger these cribs can impose, such as as suffocation, concussion, bruises and even death, parents and caregivers are urged to stop using these cribs IMMEDIATELY, wait for the free repair kit and NOT attempt to fix the crib without the kit. The drop-side to these cribs will need to be converted to a fixed side.
The drop-side hardward can break or deform, causing the drop-side to detach in one or more corners, creating a space where infants and toddlers can become entrapped, leading to suffocation.
In the Oklahoma City area, these cribs were sold at JCPenney, KMart, Walmart, Sears, Target and online at Amazon.com. Cribs were sold between January 1993 and October 2009 for between $100 and $400.
For the repair kit, call Stork Craft at (877) 274-0277 or go to www.storkcraft.com (although word is the phone line and Web site is on overload right now, but keep trying!!).
To sign up for immediate recall information of children’s products, go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
