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Beginning Feb. 28, 2013, manufacturers and importers of infant and toddler play yards are required to test their play yards to ensure that they meet new federal safety standards.

Play yards are framed enclosures with a floor and mesh or fabric side panels. Most can be folded for storage or travel.

Play yards that meet the new safety standard must have:

• Side rails that do not form a sharp V when the product is folded. This prevents a child from strangling in the side rail.
• Stronger corner brackets to prevent sharp-edged cracks and to prevent a side-rail collapse.
• Sturdier mattress attachments to the play yard floor to prevent children from getting trapped or hurt.

The new play yard standard is one of many safety standards that CPSC has passed as part of the Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act, or what we call “Danny’s Law.” Danny Keysar was killed in Chicago in 1998 when a previously recalled play yard in which he was napping collapsed, suffocating him. This new play yard standard was completed in honor of Danny and his family.

In addition to the play yard safety standard, CPSC has issued mandatory safety standards for cribs, children’s bed rails, baby bath seats, baby walkers, infant swings and toddler beds.

CPSC staff is currently working on safety standards for bedside sleepers, hand-held infant carriers,  bassinets, and bassinet attachments to play yards and will propose rules this year for strollers, soft infant carriers and infant slings.

If you use a play yard, keep it bare when you put your baby in it. Each year, CPSC receives reports of infant suffocation deaths. Some key causes of these deaths are the placement of pillows and thick quilts in a baby’s sleeping space and/or overcrowding in the space. Here’s more information on how to put your baby to sleep safely.

As a refresher: Beginning June 28, 2011, there are new new federal safety standards for cribs. All cribs made and sold after that date must meet these new standards, which prohibit traditional drop-side cribs, strengthen crib slats and mattress supports, improve the quality of hardware, and require more rigorous testing from entering the marketplace.

Cribs provided by child care facilities, family child care homes, hotels, motels and other places of public accommodation have until Dec. 28, 2012, to meet the requirements of the new standards.

Here are some materials that we have created to help you understand the new standards and what you need to do:

• Questions and Answers about the New Crib Standard
• Enforcement Guidance for Child Care Providers
• Child Care Provider Guide to the New Crib Standards
• Child Care Facilities, Foster Care, Churches: Who is Covered by the Crib Rules

In addition, we continue to receive questions about the new standard. Many of your questions revolve around evacuation cribs and play yards.

Evacuation Cribs

Cribs in child care facilities, family child care homes and places of public accommodation must meet the requirements of the new federal safety standards for full-size or non-full-size cribs. The regulations do not offer any exemptions or exceptions for evacuation cribs, regardless of how they are used.

Play Yards

The new crib standards do not apply to play yards. CPSC recently strengthened the safety standards for play yards. This new standard will take effect in February 2013. From CPSC’s regulatory perspective, a play yard can be used in lieu of a crib. HOWEVER, some state regulations prohibit the use of play yards in lieu of cribs in a child care setting. If you choose to replace the cribs in your child care with play yards, please familiarize yourself with your state regulations.

@BabyCenter is hosting CPSC (@OnSafety) CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum and @AmerAcadPeds Pediatrician Dr. Rich Lichenstein (@rlichens1) to answer your questions about baby safety.

We’ll talk cribs, play yards, bedding, baby monitors, buying used and more. Our goal is to give you real-life information to keep your family safe.

Tune in and join the chat this Thursday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. ET. Use the hashtag #SafeBaby

Post this free poster in your community or on your Facebook and Pinterest pages. Spread the word.

CPSC staff estimates that between 1992 and 2010 there were nearly 700 deaths involving infants 12 months and younger related to pillows and cushions placed in or near a baby’s sleep environment. Nearly half of the infant crib deaths and two-thirds of bassinet deaths reported to CPSC each year are suffocations caused by pillows, thick quilts and/or overcrowding in the baby’s sleeping space.

The safest place for a baby to sleep is in a safe crib. A safe crib is one that meets CPSC’s strong federal safety standards and is clear of clutter. That means no pillows, no heavy quilts, no thick blankets, no pillow-like stuffed toys or other large stuffed toys and no child carrying devices, recliners or sleep positioners.

Many parents are aware of the Back-to-Sleep Campaign to reduce the risk of SIDS. Putting your baby to sleep on his or her back also helps prevent suffocation. Be sure to always place your baby on his/her back on a tight-fitting, firm, flat mattress or any surface that comes with the bassinet and play yard. Crib mattresses need to fit tightly, too.

I use a pillow, why shouldn’t my baby?

This medical examiner re-creation shows a hazardous situation. Babies should not be placed to sleep on anything pillow-like or in a crib filled with items. Bare is Best.

Babies and adults are different. A pillow can block a baby’s nose and mouth and can cause a baby to suffocate. On average, there are 32 infant deaths a year on pillows used as mattresses or to prop babies’ heads. The majority of these deaths involve infants in their first three months of life.

Parents can safely start using pillows for children who are 1½ years old, about the same age at which parents can safely move children out of the crib and either into a toddler bed or onto a mattress on the floor.

No thick blankets? My baby will be cold.

If you’re worried about the temperature in your baby’s room, dress your baby in warm clothes. You can also put a thin blanket on your baby. Do not use thick blankets or quilts. Young babies can and do get their faces stuck in thick blankets and suffocate.

Should I use a ‘sleep positioning’ device?

No. CPSC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began warning parents in September 2010 to stop using sleep positioners. There is currently no scientific evidence supporting medical claims that have been made regarding these products. CPSC and FDA are aware of 13 reports of infants between the ages of 1 and 4 months who died when they suffocated in these positioners or when they became trapped between a sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet. CPSC has also received dozens of reports of infants who were placed on their backs or sides in sleep positioners, only to be found later in potentially hazardous positions within or next to the sleep positioners.

A major concern is the use of these products to keep a baby on its side, which is an unstable position. Infants placed on their sides are more likely to flip onto their stomachs because their backs are pressed against the side of the sleep positioning product. Because these products are designed to keep a baby from changing positions, infants who end up on their stomachs are then unable to free themselves. Young infants can suffocate because they don’t have the neck strength to move their heads.

Is it safe to put a car seat, carrier, infant recliner or other item inside the crib with my infant in it?

No. This is not a safe practice. Many of these items can tip over when placed on top of an uneven surface such as a mattress. Babies have also flipped over the side of these products and become wedged between them and other items in the crib. Since 2003, CPSC is aware of at least 9 deaths of infants in car seats, carriers, infant recliners and bouncy seats that were placed on a soft surface such as a bed, crib, play pen, air mattress or sofa.

Can I put toys in the crib/play yard/bassinet?

An uncluttered sleeping space is the safest sleeping space for a baby. Again, Bare is Best.

Toys attached to the sides of a crib should be securely attached to a single side. Make sure the toy does not contain any cords or straps that could wrap around a child’s neck. Avoid hanging crib toys with protruding parts that a child can use to pull themselves up and out of the crib or from which small parts might detach.

Don’t fill your baby’s crib, play yard or bassinet with large toys or decorative or nursing pillows, thick blankets or comforters. This is particularly important for children who are 4 months and younger.

Is there anything I need to know about my baby monitor?

All baby monitors with cords and other corded items need to be placed at least 3 feet away from a crib. CPSC knows of seven deaths and three near-strangulations since 2002 involving video and audio baby monitor cords. The monitors and cords were placed within a child’s reach.

I use a bassinet. What should I look for in my bassinet to make sure it’s safe?

CPSC is working on a new bassinet safety rule. Before buying or borrowing a bassinet, check this bassinet recall list to make sure the product has not been recalled. Make sure to follow the bassinet’s setup instructions and be sure that all fasteners are secure, including all snaps and Velcro. Use only the mattress supplied by the manufacturer for your specific bassinet and make sure that you assemble the bassinet properly. Improper assembly can lead to baggy or collapsed sides, gaps and openings that are dangerous areas in which babies can get trapped.

Those play yard mattresses are so thin. Won’t my baby be uncomfortable on it?

Play yard mattresses are thin for a reason. The play yard is a flexible structure. Adding extra padding, foam or mattresses to the play yard can cause babies to suffocate in one of two ways:

1. The baby can get his or her face stuck in the added mattress or other soft items or
2. Because of the extra additions, the flexible sides of the play yard can be pressed out. This creates dangerous and deadly gaps between the side and the added material in which a baby can get trapped.

Use only the mattress that came with the play yard. Before buying or borrowing a play yard, check this playpen/play yard recall list to make sure that the product you are using has not been recalled.

A baby should be placed to sleep flat on the thin play yard mattress that came with a play yard, as at left. Gaps such as the one at right can be dangerous and deadly, leading to suffocation.

I don’t want my child to get out of the crib or play yard. Can I put a tent on it?

Once a child is able to stand, do not use a tent with the crib or play yard. Crib tents are not made for, nor intended to, keep children in cribs and play yards. Children have become tangled and trapped in tents that were used to try to keep them in cribs and play yards. CPSC has received at least 27 reports of incidents involving tents used on cribs and play yards, including one death and one near death. CPSC recalled crib tents in May 2012. Do not use the recalled tents.

I need to lift my baby’s head while he’s sleeping. Can I add extra bedding underneath the mattress to raise it?

Seek advice from your pediatrician or health care provider before placing your baby to sleep in a more vertical position. If your doctor advises you to raise a mattress, make sure that no gaps are formed anywhere around the perimeter of the mattress. Also, keep the angle low enough that your baby doesn’t roll or slide down the mattress.

Should I use a bumper pad?

Bare is best when placing a baby to sleep in a crib. By creating the toughest crib safety standards in the world and urging parents to keep pillows, quilts, heavy blankets, and sleep positioners out of the crib, CPSC has made great strides to ensure that babies and toddlers have a safe sleep. Agency staff has previously stated that overstuffed bumper pads can be hazardous and staff is currently re-examining the safety of all crib bumpers, in an effort to provide parents with our best advice. We respect the attention that a number of cities and states have given to the safety of bumpers, and we will continue to use the best science and data available to provide parents with advice that they can trust.

If I use a bumper, is there an age or developmental milestone when I should remove it?

As soon as your child can stand, remove the bumper pads and lower the crib mattressto its lowest position. Toddlers will use anything available to climb out of the crib. Children can fall out of the crib and/or get entangled in the bumper.

What else should I be aware of when setting up my nursery?

Beware of cords. Never put a crib, bed or furniture close to windows with corded window coverings, because children can climb on them, gain access to the cords, and strangle. CPSC recommends the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit. In addition, keep baby monitor cords, lamp cords, telephone cords, and night light cords at least 3 feet away from the crib. Children can wrap the cords around their necks and strangle.

On last week’s episode of “Private Practice,” we saw that you have a new baby. Congratulations on becoming Henry’s mom! As you’re learning, parenthood is life altering.

You’re clearly a mom who researches and finds the best for her baby, even supplying breast milk from a milk bank. As an obstetrician, however, we would expect you to have researched the latest information about crib safety as well.

This screen grab from "Private Practice" shows baby Henry in his crib

Those blankets and pillows in the crib have to go. Henry doesn’t need the cushioning. His baby needs are different than adult needs like yours. CPSC staff estimates that between 1992 and 2010 there were nearly 700 deaths involving children 12 months and younger related to pillows and cushions. Nearly half of the infant crib deaths and two-thirds of bassinet deaths reported to CPSC each year are suffocations from a baby being placed on top of pillows and thick quilts or because of overcrowding in the baby’s sleeping space.

We are disappointed with the lack of research that went into creating Henry’s nursery, so allow us to help. We have a great video here that can teach you about how to put Henry to sleep safely. While you rightly placed Henry on his back, we did a double take through the TV for all the loose blankets and clutter in Henry’s crib.

In Henry’s — or any baby’s crib — bare is best. As a respected obstetrician watched in millions of homes around the country, we expect better.

Henry needs a firm, flat surface and nothing else.

Even though the pillow in the back of Henry’s crib looks small, pillows are a big problem in cribs. Pillows can block babies’ noses and mouths and can cause them to suffocate. On average, there are 32 infant deaths each year on pillows used as a mattress or to prop babies’ heads. The majority of these deaths are to infants in their first three months of life, just like Henry.

We’re guessing that you covered Henry with all those blankets in a well-meaning way, worried about his temperature. If his room is cold, dress him in warm clothes like footie pajamas. Do not use thick blankets. Babies can and do get their faces stuck in thick blankets and suffocate.

Thanks for taking the time to read and learn about how to make Henry’s crib safer for him. We hope he starts sleeping through the night for you soon!

Sincerely,

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Children’s Safe Sleep Team

Runners start the Frederick County, MD, Crib Crawl 5K on April 7, 2012.

This isn’t just any 5K. It’s a 5K for Safe Sleep. And it’s something you can replicate in your own community.

The photo above is from a recent 5K run in Frederick County, Md. The organizers called it the Crib Crawl 5K. Their mission? Raise money to purchase safe cribs for families who can’t afford a crib or bassinet.

Jackie Whalen, of Frederick County Child Protective Services, tells us that about 10 children died in sleep-related fatalities in Frederick County from 2008 through 2011.

“All the children died sleeping with adults in beds or in places that had too much bedding,” Frederick County social services administrative assistant Melissa Myers told the Frederick News Post.

This is a problem nationwide. Of the hundreds of deaths associated with unsafe sleep environments during the past 20 years, many involved pillows and cushions. Nearly half of the infant crib deaths and two-thirds of bassinet deaths reported to CPSC each year are suffocations because of pillows, thick quilts and overcrowding in the baby’s sleeping space.

The Frederick County deaths sparked the child welfare department to embark on a safe sleep education campaign in the county. “I was inspired by our prevention efforts, the passion of our staff members about Safe Sleeping and have always wanted to have a 5K involving child welfare issues,” Jackie Whalen told us.

If you’d like to organize Safe Sleep efforts in your community and need free materials, you can get them from us. Here are some ideas:

• CPSC Video on YouTube: Safe Sleep for Babies — Learn How
• Bare is Best: Safe Bedding Practices for Infants
• Hidden Hazards for Babies on Adult Beds
• More Safe Sleep Safety Guides

Play yards have been involved in about 50 deaths and about 2,000 non-fatal incidents, including 165 incidents that resulted in injuries such as cuts and bruises since November 2007. The majority of the infant deaths were 1-year-old or younger. New standards are aimed at reducing the risk of injury and death.

To protect your baby, know the risks. Deaths associated with play yards included children who climbed out of the play yard and drowned in a nearby pool. Caregivers should remember that play yards are meant for children who are less than 35 inches tall and who cannot climb out of the play yard. 

Other play yard deaths include entrapment from a collapsed play yard, strangulation from a looped strap hanging in the play yard and a child found entrapped between an unfolded mattress pad and the play yard floor liner.

Consumers should be especially careful about play yard attachments. Changing tables and bassinet attachments must be carefully installed. CPSC has received reports describing how the corner of bassinets detached from the frame of the play yard. Caregivers are reminded to review warning labels and instruction materials carefully when assembling play yards and play yard accessories, like bassinets. 

About 90% of incident reports describe the collapse of the play yard’s side rail. If the side rail collapses, a child can get their neck entrapped in the collapsed side rail, lose their footing and strangle. Side rail collapses also are dangerous because children can escape and may be injured outside the play yard.

Unfortunately, even a new federal standard can’t fully protect your baby from an unsafe sleep environment, so it’s up to you to keep the environment free of suffocation hazards.  The primary cause of play yard deaths is babies being placed in an unsafe sleep environment full of soft or extra bedding, such as pillows, quilts and comforters. Always remember a bare environment is best! 

Another leading cause of death is infants being placed face down. Babies should always be placed on their backs in a safe sleep environment such as a crib or play yard that meets current standards.

Caregivers also should ensure that play yards are placed away from window blind cords or computer cords that can fall into the play yard and strangle children inside.

To keep your baby safe check CPSC’s website for play yard and other nursery product recalls. Visit www.CPSC.gov/cribs for additional resources and safety information and sign up to get e-mail notification on recalls.

Since CPSC approved a new crib rule, your questions have been flowing into us. While most questions have revolved around the drop side, it’s important for you to know that the new standard affects far more than the drop side. A crib’s mattress support, slats, and hardware are now required to be more durable and manufacturers will have to test to new more stringent requirements to prove compliance.

Here are some of your questions along with answers:

General Questions | Consumers | Child Care Centers, Foster Homes, Churches, Hospitals | Manufacturers, Importers, Retailers | Retrofitting Cribs | Crib Warranties

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Click on the poster to print the 5 new federal requirements for cribs.

• What is the new standard for cribs?Beginning June 28, 2011, all cribs manufactured and sold (including resale) must comply with new and improved federal safety standards. The new rules, which apply to full-size and non full-size cribs, prohibit the manufacture or sale of traditional drop-side rail cribs, strengthen crib slats and mattress supports, improve the quality of hardware and require more rigorous testing. The details of the rule are available on CPSC’s website at www.cpsc.gov/businfo/frnotices/fr11/cribfinal.pdf.

  The new rules also apply to cribs currently in use at child care centers and places of public accommodation. By December 28, 2012, these facilities must use only compliant cribs that meet the new federal safety standards.

• What if I need to purchase a new crib prior to June 28, 2011?Some compliant cribs may be available before the required date. However, you will not be able tell if the crib is compliant by looking at the crib. So, you may want to ask the retail store or the manufacturer whether the crib complies with 16 CFR 1219, the new federal standard for full-size cribs or with 16 CFR 1220, the new federal standard for non-full-size cribs.
• Is this new regulation simply a ban on all drop-side rail cribs?No, these are sweeping new safety rules that will bring a safer generation of cribs to the marketplace in 2011. CPSC’s new crib standards address many factors related to crib safety in addition to the drop-side rail. A crib’s mattress support, slats, and hardware are now required to be more durable and manufacturers will have to test to the new more stringent requirements to prove compliance.
• Are all drop-side rail cribs “recalled” because of the new regulation?There has not been a specific “recall” of all drop-side cribs due to the new regulation. Instead, some manufacturers recently have recalled their cribs in cooperation with the CPSC because a specific defect or risk of harm has been discovered relating to a particular crib. Although these recalls are separate from CPSC’s new crib standards, traditional drop-side cribs will not meet the new crib standards that became effective on June 28, 2011, and cribs with traditional drop-sides cannot be sold after that date.
• How do I know whether the specific crib that I own/use in my child care facility meets the new standards?You cannot tell from looking at a crib whether it meets the new standards. It is not likely that cribs in use before the Commission issued its crib rule in December 2010 will comply with the new standards. If you are considering purchasing new cribs that meet the standards, you may want to ask the manufacturer or retailer whether the crib complies with 16 CFR 1219 (the new standard for full-size cribs) or 16 CFR 1220 (the new standard for non-full-size cribs). Manufacturers are required to test samples of their cribs to the new standards and to certify that they comply with the new standards. They must provide this certification to the retailer.

  You can ask the manufacturer or retailer for a copy of the certificate of compliance that should indicate that the crib is certified to meet 16 CFR 1219 or 16 CFR 1220. Beginning June 28, 2011, all cribs manufactured or offered for sale, lease, or resale are required to meet the new crib standards.

• Who will be enforcing the crib standards and what are the penalties for using cribs that do not meet the new standards?CPSC will be the main agency enforcing the new crib standards. The initial focus will be on manufacturers and retailers since they must comply with the new standards by June 28, 2011. Anyone who is covered by the new crib standards and does not comply commits a prohibited act under section 19(a)(1) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). A person or company that knowingly commits a prohibited act is subject to possible civil penalties. States’ attorneys general also have authority to enforce the crib standards through injunctions.

CONSUMERS

• As a consumer, what can I do if I have a drop-side crib?Some drop-side crib manufacturers have immobilizers that fit their cribs. Drop-side crib immobilizers are devices that are used to secure drop sides to prevent dangerous situations in which the drop-side either partially or fully separates from the crib. As part of a recall, CPSC staff works with companies to provide fixes, or remedies, for products. For drop-side cribs, that remedy has been immobilizers.

  Check the CPSC’s website for companies that have recalled their cribs and are providing immobilizers to secure the drop-side on the cribs. These immobilizers were evaluated and approved by CPSC staff for use with these particular drop-side cribs.

  If your drop-side crib has not been recalled, you can call the manufacturer and ask if they are making an immobilizer for your crib. Remember, though, that those particular immobilizers have not been tested or evaluated by CPSC staff for use with your specific crib.

  Note that a drop side crib, even with an immobilizer installed, will not meet the new CPSC crib standards.

• Is a sturdy, non drop-side crib okay for a consumer to use?It is unlikely that your current crib will meet the new crib standards. The new standards require stronger hardware and rigorous testing to prove a crib’s durability. If you continue to use your current crib, you are encouraged to check the crib frequently to make sure that all hardware is secured tightly and that there are no loose, missing, or broken parts. Note that after December 28, 2012, child care facilities, family child care homes, and places of public accommodations, such as hotels and motels, must provide cribs that comply with the new and improved standards.
• My drop-side crib has not been recalled, but I am worried about using it with my baby. Can I return it for a refund?Manufacturers and retailers are not required to accept returned drop-side cribs or to provide a refund if the crib has not been recalled.
• Is it okay for me as a consumer to resell, donate or give away a crib that does not meet the new crib standards?A consumer should not resell, donate or give away a crib that does not meet the new crib standards, such as trying to resell the product through an online auction site or donating to a local thrift store. CPSC recommends disassembling the crib before discarding it.
• Is the answer different if a piece (“immobilizer”) has been added to my drop-side crib to prevent the side from moving up and down?Consumers should not sell or give away a drop-side crib that has an added immobilizer because it still will not meet the new crib standards.
• If I am unable to purchase a new crib, what can I do to keep my baby safe?If you continue to use your current crib, you are encouraged to:
  a. Check CPSC’s crib recall list to make sure that your crib has not been recalled.
  b. Check the crib frequently to make sure all of the hardware is secured tightly and that there are no loose, missing, or broken parts.
  c. If your crib has a drop-side rail, stop using that drop-side function. If the crib has been recalled, request a free immobilizer from the manufacturer or retailer (particular immobilizer will vary depending on the crib).
  d. Another option is to use a portable play yard, so long as it is not a model that has been recalled previously.

• If a customer purchased a crib that was manufactured before June 28, 2011, but they return the crib for a warranty claim after June 28, 2011, must the replacement crib meet the new crib standards?

Yes. When a manufacturer (retailer or other supplier) provides a replacement crib for use beginning on the June 28, 2011, compliance date, the crib must meet the requirements of the CPSC’s new crib standards.

CHILD CARE CENTERS, FOSTER HOMES, CHURCHES, HOSPITALS

• My child care center still has drop-side cribs. Are they in violation of the regulation?No, child care facilities, family child care homes, and places of public accommodation, such as hotels and motels, have until December 28, 2012, to ensure that the cribs used in their facilities meet the requirements of the CPSC’s new crib standards.

  After this date, places of public accommodation may no longer use traditional drop-side cribs or noncompliant cribs and must use cribs meeting the new federal safety standards.

  Parents should talk with management about the new standards and the facility’s plan of action for replacing the cribs. Parents also should make sure their baby is not being placed in a recalled crib.

  Note: Child care facilities, family child care homes, and places of public accommodation should not resell, donate or give away a crib that does not meet the new crib standards, such as trying to resell the product through an online auction site or donating to a local thrift store. CPSC recommends disassembling the crib before discarding it.

• Are portable cribs or play yards affected by the regulation?The crib standards cover portable cribs, but not play yards. CPSC’s crib rule includes a standard for full-size cribs (16 CFR part 1219) and a standard for non-full-size cribs (16 CFR part 1220). A non-full-size crib is a crib that is either larger or smaller (or otherwise shaped differently) from a full-size crib. The standard for non-full-size cribs covers portable cribs (a crib that “may be folded or collapsed, without disassembly, to occupy a volume substantially less than the volume it occupies when it is used”) as defined in that standard. The term “non-full-size crib” does not include products with mesh/net/screen or other non-rigid construction. Instead, enclosures with mesh or fabric sides are considered to be play yards and are not subject to the crib standards.

  CPSC is developing a separate mandatory federal standard for play yards.

• Are hospitals required to provide cribs that comply with the CPSC’s new crib regulation?The CPSC crib rule requires only certain facilities to provide cribs that comply with CPSC requirements. Those places include child care facilities, family child care homes, and places of public accommodation such as hotels and motels. Hospital cribs are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Here’s the latest information from them), and thus, are considered to be medical devices. Cribs used in hospitals as medical devices are not required to comply with the new CPSC crib standards.

  However, the CPSC will treat a child care facility that is owned or operated by, or located in, a hospital the same way as any other child care facility. We will expect the facility’s cribs to meet the new crib standards by December 28, 2012, unless the facility provides documentation showing that the cribs are medical devices.

• What types of child care arrangements are impacted by the new crib standards?The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) directed the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to issue the new crib standards and apply them to (among others) “any person that … based on the person’s occupation, holds itself out as having knowledge or skill peculiar to cribs, including child care facilities and family child care homes.” The law does not define “child care facility” or “family child care home.”

  Based on the CPSIA language and other federal programs related to child care, we consider a “child care facility” to mean a nonresidential setting that provides child care services (which could include early learning opportunities) for a fee. We consider “family child care home” to mean a location that provides child care services (which could include early learning opportunities) for a fee in a residential setting. The residential setting is usually in a home other than the one where the child resides, although the child or children of the caregiver may also attend.

  Licensing requirements vary widely from one state to another, and whether a child care provider is licensed does not determine the provider’s status as a child care facility or family child care home for purposes of CPSC’s crib standards.

  We do not consider “in-home care,” where a child is cared for in his/her own home or by a relative in the child’s home or the relative’s home, to be a “child care facility” or a “family child care home.”

  In turn, we do not consider such arrangements to be subject to the new crib standards.

• Are churches/church nurseries subject to the new crib standards?The CPSIA does not provide any exclusion for churches. If a church operates a child care facility, the cribs it provides must comply with the CPSC’s crib standards. Given the language in the CPSIA, we consider a “child care facility” to be one that provides services for a fee or that pays a person (or persons) to take care of children. If volunteers take care of children without pay during a church service, we do not consider that arrangement to be a “child care facility”, and cribs used under such an arrangement would not be subject to the CPSC’s crib standards.
• Are foster homes or residential facilities subject to the new crib standards?We consider a foster home to be a private residence where care is provided in the child’s own home. This arrangement is similar to in-home care and would not be subject to CPSC’s crib standards. However, in addition to child care facilities and family child care homes, CPSC’s crib standards apply to “places of public accommodation,” which means “any inn, hotel, or other establishment … that provides lodging to transient guests.”

  We consider a public residential facility (as opposed to a private residence) to be a place of public accommodation and subject to CPSC’s crib standards.

• Are “hospital cribs” located in child care facilities subject to the new crib standards? 

  This depends on whether the crib is a medical “device.” CPSC’s crib standards do not apply to medical devices. A crib that meets the definition of “device” in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 201(h)) is subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), not CPSC. You should contact FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health to determine if a particular crib is a “device.”

A crib that is located in a child care facility and is not a “device” is subject to CPSC’s crib standards.

MANUFACTURERS, IMPORTERS, RETAILERS

Retrofitting Cribs

• Is it possible to retrofit a crib that is currently in use (e.g., in a child care facility) to meet the new crib standards?CPSC staff does not believe that a crib currently in use can be retrofitted and tested to show compliance with the new crib standards. Typically, a crib is destroyed in the process of testing; therefore, retrofitting cribs currently in use cannot be done. As discussed in the preamble to the final rule, the crib standards include multiple, complex requirements for many parts of a crib, making it difficult to determine whether a retrofitted crib currently in use would meet the requirements without testing that specific crib. (Section E.9 of the preamble to the final crib rule, 75 Fed. Reg. at 81771-72.) Also, a retrofit, such as a side rail immobilizer, which previously might have been an acceptable remedy to address a defect in a recalled crib, may not necessarily make a crib compliant with the new crib standards because additional new compliance requirements now apply to that crib design.
• Is it possible for a retailer, manufacturer, or lessor to retrofit unused crib inventory to meet the new crib standards?Under some circumstances, it may be possible to retrofit unused, noncompliant crib inventory to meet the new crib standards. To comply with the new standards, an existing crib model – with the retrofit in place – must be put through the complete test regimen. In other words, the crib model, as it exists in inventory, must be tested with the retrofit, and it must meet all the provisions of the relevant new standards and be certified to the applicable new standards prior to its sale. The manufacturer should provide a way to ensure that all the crib models in inventory have been retrofitted properly. For unused cribs in inventory, we assume that cribs of the same model are sufficiently similar, so that when a model that is identical to the crib(s) in inventory is tested to the standard with the retrofit, and the crib passes the test, then that retrofit can be applied to all other identical models currently in inventory to make them compliant. It is the manufacturer’s, retailer’s, or lessor’s responsibility to ensure that all cribs sold (or resold or leased) on and after June 28, 2011, are compliant with the new standards. If a retrofit is used, it is the manufacturer’s or importer’s responsibility to provide certification of the retrofitted crib, following testing by a CPSC-accepted certifying body, to ensure that the inventory is sold only with a retrofit that makes the crib compliant with the standard. The same retrofit methods developed for a non-compliant unused crib cannot be applied to a crib model that is used or that currently is in use because each crib is unique, due to its use patterns. Therefore, each used crib unit would have to be tested with the retrofit in place before the crib could be certified. The testing can be destructive; and likely would render the crib unusable.
• If inventory is retrofitted, what testing is required?

The crib model must be tested to the relevant crib standard (16 CFR part 1219 or 16 CFR part 1220) with the retrofit in place. The testing must be conducted by a third party testing body that has been accredited and accepted by the CPSC to test cribsto the new crib standards.

• Must crib manufacturers, retailers, and lessors get approval from the CPSC to retrofit crib inventory?

No. The CPSC does not approve crib retrofit methods. The CPSC relies on the manufacturer’s/importer’s certification of compliance of the retrofitted product that is supported by testing to the applicable standard by a CPSC accepted conformity assessment body.

• If a company has an inventory of cribs that do not comply with the new crib standards, could the company export the noncompliant cribs to another country?
  Yes. However, beginning June 28, 2011, a company first must notify the CPSC and follow the procedures stated in 16 CFR part 1019, pertaining to Export of Noncomplying, Misbranded, or Banned Products.

If you have additional questions, please e-mail them to feedback@cpsc.gov.

Do you see that video baby monitor cord? Yes, the one the baby has in his hand.

Cords close to your baby’s crib are not safe.

Yes, it’s tempting. Parents reviewing video monitors online report placing monitors at the edge of the crib to get a close-up image of their child sleeping: Read some examples:

“We didn’t want to put a perminant (sic) screw into the edge of the crib, so I have the base of the camera attached to the end of the crib with clear tape, which works well enough for now I guess.”

“Our baby monitor … broke when our little one managed to knock it over off his crib.”

“For watching your child close up (e.g. to see if he/she’s breathing or not) you do need to be pretty close to him/her (we just have it at the edge of the crib)….”

Do NOT place corded video cameras or audio or movement monitor receivers in cribs or on crib rails. Infants have strangled and died after becoming tangled in cords, like this:

CPSC knows of 7 deaths and 3 near strangulations since 2002 involving baby monitors. These include video, audio and movement monitors. In addition, CPSC has received reports of at least a dozen other incidents in which babies and young children accessed monitors or monitor cords – that were either in the crib or close enough to the crib for a young child to grab.

Some monitors have permanent warning labels on the product or cord. Others, like some Summer Infant corded video baby monitors, do not have a prominent warning label on the camera or the cord.

Always keep ALL cords and monitor parts out of the reach of babies and young children. Think about 3 feet from any side of the crib –- top, bottom and all four sides.

When buying a video monitor, look for one that takes the picture from far away. The further away the camera and its cord are from your baby or toddler, the safer your child will be. If you use a movement monitor, make sure the cords are taut and not dangling to reduce the strangulation risk. The manufacturers’ instructions show parents how to handle the cords.

CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately check the location of your baby monitors, including those mounted on the wall, to make sure that the electrical cords are out of the child’s reach. Check that location periodically to make sure the cords stay out of reach as your child grows.

Video:

Those of you who already own cribs that do not meet the requirements of this new rule — especially drop-side cribs — need to know what to do with your cribs or the cribs that you need to buy in the next six months.

First, it’s important to remember that a non-recalled, sturdy crib is the SAFEST place for your baby to sleep. Second, if you own a drop-side crib regularly check your crib for safety. 

While CPSC staff cannot say that every drop-side crib is hazardous, based on investigations of incidents we have received, agency staff believes that most drop-side cribs are more prone to mechanical failure than similarly designed fixed-side cribs.

Some drop-side crib manufacturers have immobilizers that fit their cribs. Drop-side crib immobilizers are devices that are used to secure drop sides to prevent dangerous situations in which the drop side either partially or fully detaches from the crib.

As part of a recall, CPSC staff works with companies to provide fixes, or remedies, for products. For drop-side cribs, that remedy has been immobilizers.

Here’s a list of companies that have recalled their cribs and are providing immobilizers to secure the drop side on the cribs. These immobilizers were evaluated and approved by CPSC staff for use with these particular drop-side cribs.

If your drop-side crib manufacturer is not on this list, call the manufacturer and ask if they are making an immobilizer for your crib. Remember, though, that those particular immobilizers have not been tested or evaluated by CPSC staff for use with your specific crib.

The following crib manufacturers have recalled cribs for which immobilizers are not available. In some cases, there may be other remedies or recommendations of what to do with your crib.

The key for any mom, dad, or caregiver who wears their baby is education. In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles. We at CPSC want babywearers caring for infants younger than 4 months old to keep this in mind.

Babywearers should place their baby’s face at or above the rim of a sling or wrap so that their face is visible.

When babies are placed with their faces below the rim of a sling, they are not able to lift their heads to breathe. This can lead to the following two hazardous situations:

• One risk occurs when a baby’s head is turned toward the adult. An infant’s nose and mouth can be pressed against the baby wearer and become blocked, preventing the baby from breathing. Suffocation can happen quickly, within a minute or two.
• When a baby lies in a sling, the fabric can push the baby’s head forward to its chest. Infants can’t lift their heads and free themselves to breathe. This curled, chin-to-chest position can partially restrict a baby’s airways, causing a baby to lose consciousness. The baby cannot cry out for help.

In addition, CPSC urges parents of infants younger than four months of age, premature or low birth-weight babies and babies with colds and respiratory problems to use extra caution and consult their pediatricians about using slings.

All of this information is consistent with what CPSC shared with parents in March. So, why raise this again?

Every day, new babies are born and new moms, dads, and caregivers may not be aware of the safety information we’ve given before. We want all new moms and dads who choose to wear their babies to know how to keep their babies safe.

Child safety experts at CPSC have looked at incidents and sadly found 14 reports of infants who suffocated and died in sling-style carriers during the past 20 years. To prevent any more deaths, CPSC staff urges parents to use extra caution with infants younger than 4 months old, premature, low birth-weight babies, and babies with colds and respiratory problems when using infant slings.

This warning is not intended to characterize all slings as being dangerous to babies. CPSC has identified (1) specific situations that can pose a risk of serious harm to babies, and (2) simple safety tips that we hope the babywearing community can share with new parents so that they have a safe, heart-to-heart bond while using an infant sling.

CPSC stands for safety, especially the safety of babies.

The safest crib is one with only a mattress and a tight-fitting sheet. Parents should stop using sleep positioners or ANY device to hold an infant on his or her back or side for sleep. These are unnecessary and can pose a suffocation risk to your baby.

For the safest sleep environment possible, place babies on their backs. Don’t put babies to sleep on top of pillows, comforters or thick quilts. And don’t place these items, or large stuffed toys, in your baby’s crib, bassinet or play yard.

An announcement such as this one is sure to raise some questions. Here are some answers.

What is a sleep positioner?

A sleep positioner is a product that is used to keep babies on their backs while sleeping. Some are flat mats with side bolsters, and others are inclined (wedge) mats with side bolsters. Both types of sleep positioners claim to help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by keeping babies on their backs, help with food digestion and reflux, ease colic, and prevent flat head syndrome.

Are the medical claims associated with these products true?

The FDA and CPSC staffs have stated that there is currently no scientific evidence supporting these medical claims. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) already tells parents to avoid “commercial devices marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS.”

How are sleep positioners dangerous?

A baby's face can get trapped against the bolster of a sleep positioner causing the baby to suffocate.

Babies placed on inclined sleep positioners can scoot around and end up with their heads hanging over the high edge of the positioners. This can cut off babies’ ability to breathe. In addition, babies can easily roll from their sides to stomachs or scoot themselves downward with their faces pressed against a bolster in these positioners. If bolsters come loose, babies can become trapped between the sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet.

In some inclined sleep positioners, babies have flipped off the positioner, ending up with the positioner landing on top of them. Each of these scenarios puts babies at risk of suffocation.

How do I make sure my baby stays on his back while sleeping?

Simply place your baby on his or her back in the crib. Once your baby rolls over onto his or her tummy, it’s okay to leave your baby there. Babies who can flip over can also turn their heads, a key developmental milestone that reduces the risk of suffocation. If your baby flips over while in a sleep positioner, however, he or she can have a hard time freeing his or her face from the device.

My baby has reflux and my sleep positioner helps. Do I really need to stop using it?
Yes, you should stop using these devices. FDA has no scientific proof that infant sleep positioners help to prevent gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Talk with your pediatrician about safe sleep alternatives for your baby.

12 deaths in 13 years? Is this really a serious hazard?

The potential risk of suffocation and death is serious and preventable. CPSC and FDA believe there is no reason to introduce a risk into your baby’s crib, especially given the fact that there are no scientifically proven benefits of using sleep positioners.

Usually, you recall products that are unsafe. Why aren’t you recalling specific sleep positioners?

Because of the medical claims made with sleep positioners, they fall primarily under FDA’s jurisdiction, rather than CPSC’s. FDA is telling manufacturers of sleep positioners to submit scientific data to support their medical claims. Any manufacturer who makes a medical claim about a sleep positioner and who has not received FDA clearance must immediately stop marketing their products. Such devices are illegal and subject to FDA regulatory action.

If you have other questions, e-mail them to feedback@cpsc.gov.

There have been far too many tragedies involving babies and toddlers resulting from dangerous cribs. In the last five years, CPSC has announced 18 recalls involving more than 9 million drop-side cribs. The agency’s staff is actively investigating various crib manufacturers as part of a large, ongoing effort to remove unsafe cribs from the marketplace and your homes.

For many parents, the question is what to do with cribs in use right now. First and foremost after making sure that your crib hasn’t been recalled: Check your crib.

If you’re not quite sure what that means, this video is for you. Watch it, share it and take the advice of CPSC juvenile products engineer Patty Edwards. She is a premier expert on cribs and other nursery products.

If you’ve still got questions, here are a few that CPSC has received, along with answers:

Q: CPSC’s drop-side crib information makes me nervous about owning a drop-side crib, but I can’t afford a new crib. What should I do?

A: Check your crib as shown in the video. If your crib has loose sides or missing or broken pieces that you can’t easily tighten, then move your child to a different safe sleeping place. Depending on the child’s age, this can be a bassinet, a play yard or a toddler bed – so long as that product hasn’t been recalled as well.

Should I get an immobilizer for my crib, even if it hasn’t been recalled? Where do I get them?

An immobilizer stops the drop side from moving outwards as well as up and down. This prevents a baby from getting stuck between the drop side and the rest of the crib. You should get and use an immobilizer for your drop-side crib if it is available. Different cribs need different immobilizers. Contact your manufacturer to see if the company is offering or planning to offer an immobilizer for your crib.

Immobilizers should only be used on cribs that do not have broken or missing hardware. An immobilizer will not make broken cribs safe. An immobilizer will prevent future breakage and protect hardware.

In addition, immobilizers are meant to be used on newer cribs, not cribs that are older than 10 years.

The immobilizer fix kit on my recalled crib forced the drop side to become stationary. I’m short and can’t reach my baby. What can I do?

CPSC’s staff understands how difficult it can be for some moms to use a tall fixed-side crib. Some of us are short moms, too. Convenience, though, is a different question than safety. We at CPSC aim to provide you with the best information available to us to keep your baby safe.

Some manufacturers make cribs with drop-gates rather than drop sides and cribs that are lower to the ground.

If you’re short and are finding your newly fixed-side crib difficult to use, look for a safe solution to reach down to your baby. One solution could be a wide, sturdy step stool, such as the steps used in step aerobics.

I’m using a second-hand drop-side crib. Is this safe for my baby?

Age is a factor in the safety of any drop-side crib. At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you not use a crib that’s older than 10 years. Many older cribs may not meet current voluntary standards and can have numerous safety problems.

The more use a particular crib experiences over time, the more that crib will sustain wear and tear on hardware and joints, allowing screws to loosen and fall out and plastic parts to flex and break. Repeated assembly and disassembly increases the likelihood that crib parts can be damaged or lost. In addition, wood warps and shrinks over time, and glue can become brittle. This can lead to joint and slat failures.

Be sure to check your crib regularly and stop using it if you are at all uncertain about its safety.

Do you have other questions? E-mail them to feedback@cpsc.gov.

A baby can strangle in the “V” shape when the top portion of the drop side detaches.

CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum has committed to parents and caregivers that there will be a new and vastly improved mandatory federal standard for cribs this year. The standard will incorporate, at minimum, the new voluntary standard banning drop-side cribs from the United States market. Due to the new voluntary industry standard, many manufacturers have already stopped selling drop-side cribs or will do so beginning June 1, 2010.

CPSC technical staff has determined drop-side cribs generally have a tendency to be less structurally sound than cribs with four fixed sides. Drop-side hardware is prone to break, deform or experience other problems during normal or foreseeable use. The older the crib, the more problems can be expected. When drop-side hardware breaks or deforms, the drop side can detach in one or more corners from the crib. If an infant or toddler rolls or moves into the space created by a partially detached drop side, the child can become entrapped or wedged between the crib mattress and the drop side and suffocate. Infants can also strangle in the “V” shape formed by a drop side that detaches in an upper corner.

Check your crib regularly and make sure it has not already been recalled. While CPSC staff cannot say that every drop-side crib is hazardous, based on investigations of incidents we have received, the agency believes that overall most drop-side cribs are more prone to mechanical failure than similar designed fixed-side cribs.

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A: CPSC has heard this question many times since last week’s recall. ALL Simplicity cribs with the tubular metal mattress have been recalled. Because Simplicity is out of business, CPSC does not know all the model numbers that use the tubular metal mattress support. The model numbers listed in the recall are the ones that CPSC is certain exist, but many other model numbers are affected as well.

Q: I just found on the website that my son’s crib was recalled in September of 2008, but I had never seen anything about this until now. It has the tubular mattress support and the site says that all the cribs with this design are being recalled. What if I don’t have a receipt showing when or where it was purchased? Can I still take it back to the store where it was purchased? I don’t want to take it all apart and make a 35 minute trek to my “local” Walmart, and then be told there’s nothing they can do. Please let me know.

A: You do not need a receipt to return a recalled crib to the retailer. The recalled cribs were sold at Walmart, Target, Babies R Us and other stores nationwide. Contact the store where the crib was purchased to receive a refund, replacement crib or store credit. This Simplicity recalls chart shows you numerous Simplicity nursery products that have been recalled and what you can do. CPSC recommends that you bring the recall notice with you to the retailer when you return your crib in case the retailer has questions.

Q: Are retailers required to provide a remedy? If the retailers are not providing a remedy that I like, for instance minimal refunds, do I have any other options?

Because Simplicity is no longer in business, CPSC reached out to retailers to request they voluntarily participate in the recall. Many retailers, including those identified above, have voluntarily agreed to provide consumers with a refund, store credit or replacement crib, at their discretion. If your retailer is refusing to provide any remedy, please let us know so that CPSC staff can contact the retailer.

A company may take into account the age of a product when providing a refund or store credit.

One of the bars in this Simplicity mattress support has detached. Others are bent.

Q: My crib is part of the Simplicity crib recall due to having a metal tube frame system (for the mattress to rest on). I do not have a drop rail. I checked my crib. It seems fine, no loose parts, it does not wiggle one bit when I try to move/shake it. If my crib seems structurally fine can I let my child sleep on it?

A: Do NOT continue to use this crib or any crib that has been recalled. These Simplicity drop-side and fixed side cribs have been recalled because the mattress support can collapse and pieces can bend or detach. CPSC is aware of a one-year-old who died in a fixed-side Simplicity crib. CPSC also knows of more than a dozen additional incidents involving the recalled cribs collapsing due to bending or detaching metal pieces in the mattress support frame.

Make sure to find an alternate safe sleeping environment for your child until you have a new crib in place. If your baby is less than six months old and is not yet able to push up to his/her hands and knees, you can put your baby to sleep in a bassinet. After that, you can use a play yard. Once your child is mobile and is climbing out, you can use a toddler bed or a mattress on the floor.