The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced new Federal safety requirements for all non-full-size baby cribs.
The new requirements affect only non-full-size baby cribs, including portable cribs, crib-pens, specialty cribs, undersize cribs and oversize cribs, introduced into interstate commerce after August 9, 1976.
Safety requirements for full-size baby cribs have been in effect since February 1974.
According to Commission data, last year an estimated 6,900 injuries associated with baby cribs required hospital emergency room treatment. Accidental falls are the most frequent cause of crib injuries. The safety requirements for non-full-size baby cribs include the following:
-The space between crib slats shall not exceed 2 3/8 inches (6 centimeters). This prevents parts of the infant's body from becoming trapped.
-The crib mattress must fit tightly within the confines of the crib sides to prevent entrapment of body parts.
-The height between the crib mattress support in its highest adjustable position and the side rail in its lowest adjustable position cannot be less than five (5) inches (12.7 centimeters) to prevent against accidental falls.
-The height between the crib mattress support in its lowest adjustable position and the side rail in its highest adjustable position cannot be less than 22 inches (55.9 centimeters) to guard against falls.
-The hardware on the crib is to be designed and constructed to eliminate pinching, bruising, lacerating, crushing, and amputating during normal use or when subjected to reasonably foreseeable damage or abuse. All wooden surfaces are to be smooth and free from splinters.
-No horizontal bar, ledge, projection or other surface accessible to the child inside the crib that could be used as a toehold for climbing is permitted.
-All non-full-size crib which require assembly must be accompanied by detailed instructions on how to do it.
-A label stating that the non-full-size crib conforms to CPSC regulations must accompany the crib itself and its retail carton. Additionally, the manufacturer's name and address along with a style or model number plus correct mattress size must be permanently affixed to all non-full-size cribs.
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
For lifesaving information:
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