Consumer Product Safety Commission has voted to ban the manufacture and sale of drop-side cribs. Under the new government crib standards, which hadn’t been modified in almost three decades, all cribs must have fixed sides by June 2011. Hotels and daycare centers also have to get rid of any drop-side cribs that they have been using, which the CPSC estimates will affect about 935,000 drop-side cribs and could cost around $467.5 million. Some 43,303 inns and hotels and 59,555 day-care firms are expected to be impacted.
The new federal standards calls for better labeling on crib parts, tougher testing, which includes tests that mimic what its like to have an actual child in a crib, better mattress support, and sturdier crib hardware. While drop-sides have proved convenient for adults wanting to more easily reach their children that are in the crib, drop-side malfunctions, too big of a gap created between the drop side and the mattress, broken crib slats, and other defective crib parts have proven too dangerous.
The CPSC has recalled over nine million drop-side cribs since 2005 and over 11 million cribs since 2007. At least 32 child deaths have been linked to strangulation and suffocation accidents involving drop-side cribs. There have been other deaths linked to defective or faulty crib hardware.
Our Washington DC products liability lawyers are concerned over the number of injuries and deaths that continue to occur because of dangerous or defective products. Hopefully, the ban on drop-side cribs will reduce the injury and death rates of young children.
A few months ago, USA TODAY said that its analysis of data from CPSC found that prior to issuing crib recalls, 14 crib companies were named in over 900 incident reports involving drop-side crib-related deaths and injuries. Crib entrapment, strangulation, and suffocation are among the causes of serious crib injuries to a child. Fall accidents caused by a malfunctioning drop-side crib can also result in painful injuries.
Day Cares, Hotels Must Replace All Cribs on U.S. Safety Rules, Bloomberg/Businessweek, December 22, 2010
CPSC’s ban on drop-side cribs takes effect in June, USA Today, December 16, 2010
CPSC Approves Strong New Crib Safety Standards To Ensure a Safe Sleep for Babies and Toddlers, CPSC, December 17, 2010
Drop-side crib ban ‘a long time coming’, Sun-Times, December 16, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (PDF)
Product Recall Finder, BabyCenter
Losing your loved one because of a crib defect is a devastating experience.
Contact our Washington DC wrongful death law firm today. We also represent families of children that have been injured by other types of products defects.