CPSC Proposes New Rules for Full-Size and Non-Full-Size Cribs

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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Jul 14, 2010, 04:14 ET

Proposed standard to address drop side and mattress support hazards

WASHINGTON, July 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted (5 to 0) today to approve proposed new mandatory standards to address the hazards posed by full-size and non-full-size cribs.

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Serious safety hazards with cribs have ranged from drop-side hardware or other drop-side entrapment issues to failures of the mattress support and detachment or breakage of the crib slats. All of these defects can create hazardous gaps allowing a baby to become entrapped and suffocate or fall out of the crib.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) directs CPSC to issue mandatory safety standards for durable infant or toddler products. CPSC's notice of proposed rulemaking ("NPR") for cribs includes:

1) a standard for full-size cribs that is substantially the same as ASTM F 1169-10, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Full-Size Baby Cribs, with one modification. The one modification that CPSC is proposing to the ASTM full-size crib standard would require cribs to be tested without the re-tightening of screws between tests in order to ensure that the tests reflect the lifetime use of the crib; and

2) a standard for non-full-size cribs that is substantially the same as ASTM F 406-10, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Full-Size Baby Cribs/Play Yards, with certain modifications. These modifications include adding certain requirements that apply to full-size cribs, such as the mattress support performance requirement, the side-impact test, and the order in which performance tests are to be done, applicable to non-full-size cribs so that the new standard for non-full-size cribs is more stringent. The proposal also would restore movable side latch tests to the non-full-size crib standard and would clarify that the proposal does not extend to play yards.

Through close collaboration with ASTM International, consumer groups, industry and other juvenile product experts, improved consensus standards were approved June 1, 2010, that incorporated key safety requirements recommended by CPSC staff. The ASTM standards and the proposed CPSC standards contain design requirements that essentially prohibit traditional drop sides (up and down movement of an entire side of the crib).

CPSC staff is working to finalize the proposed mandatory crib standards in 2010.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The 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 significantly to the 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 re-sell this or any other recalled product.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772, teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this press release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission