Entrapment, Suffocation and Falls Prompt More Crib Recalls
Due to multiple child fatalities around the country over several years, several manufacturers are joining efforts in a mass recall of more than 2 million unsafe child cribs, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Some of these cribs are drop side cribs, which have been found to pose crib suffocation hazards and even cause death for infants and small children. This recall is a continuation of an overall effort by the CPSC that began with a massive crib recall in December of 2009. The agency wants to “rid the marketplace and homes of unsafe cribs,” and has put together a crib safety website with resources such as this video:
Crib Suffocation, Entrapment, Strangulation and Fall Hazard Recall: Product Information
Seven manufacturers are participating in the current recall. They will offer consumers free kits to repair the cribs and immobilize drop-side cribs. The cribs were all manufactured between 2000 and 2009. Consumers should NOT attempt to fix these cribs themselves. The companies participating in the recall are:
- Child Craft, (this firm is out of business): Fixed-Side | Drop-Side
- Delta Enterprise Corp., of New York, N.Y.
- Evenflo, of Miamisburg, Ohio
- Jardine Enterprises, of Taipei, Taiwan
- LaJobi, of Cranbury, N.J.
- Million Dollar Baby, of Montebello, Calif.
- Simmons Juvenile Products Inc. (SJP), of New London, Wis.
In all, nine million drop-side cribs have been recalled in the last five years. The CPSC has determined drop-side cribs are generally less structurally sound than fixed-side cribs. According to CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum:
“Cribs should be the safest place in the home for infants and toddlers. CPSC is committed to addressing the hazards with cribs and to restoring parents’ confidence that their child will have a safe sleep.”
CPSC is also working with industry organizations, such as the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) to set mandatory crib safety standards. The target finish date for these standards is by the end of 2010.
