Build-A-Bear Agrees to $600,000 Civil Penalty for Failing to Report Defective Toy Beach Chairs

News provided by

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Dec 16, 2011, 04:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. (Build-A-Bear), of St. Louis, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $600,000. The penalty settlement agreement has been provisionally accepted by the Commission.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO)

The settlement resolves CPSC staff allegations that Build-A-Bear failed to immediately report a defect involving its toy bear beach chair that resulted in incidents and injuries to consumers. The sharp edges of the chair's folding wooden frame can pinch, lacerate or amputate a child's fingertip if the finger is caught between the frame as the chair is folded.

Build-A-Bear sold the beach chairs through its website and at Build-A-Bear stores between March 2001 and October 2008. The company became aware of 10 reports of injury between July 2007 and January 2009, yet did not report to the Commission until March 2009.

Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report to CPSC within 24 hours after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect, which could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or fails to comply with any consumer product safety rule or any other rule, regulation, standard or ban enforced by CPSC.

CPSC and Build-A-Bear announced a recall of about 260,000 beach chairs in May 2009.

In agreeing to the settlement, Build-A-Bear denies CPSC staff allegations as to the existence of a defect or hazard or that it violated the law.

Photos available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12058.html

CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products—such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals—contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or resell a recalled product.

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission