CPSC Issues Strong Appeal

With the reported three recent tragic deaths of children, two involving mesh-sided playpens for which an alert had been recently issued, and the other a crib which has been under recall since 1977, the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today issued an urgent appeal for consumers to heed product safety recalls and warnings.

On May 4, the Commission learned of the death of a 6 month old baby boy in the Southwest United States in a mesh sided playpen. On May 10, CPSC learned of a similar accident. The infants apparently rolled into the mesh pocket formed when one side of the playpen was not in a fully raised position. In March, 1983, the Commission had issued a nationwide alert to consumers that drop side mesh playpens and portable mesh cribs, used with a side left down, can pose a severe safety hazard to infants. The Commission is now aware of 4 deaths involving mesh-sided playpens and 6 deaths and 2 non-fatal accidents involving mesh-sided cribs since 1973. Seven of the incidents involved children 6 weeks old or less who were left in the playpen or crib with one of the two drop sides in the down position. After falling off the end of the mattress pad, the infant's head or chest was compressed between the floor board and the mesh side so the child was unable to continue breathing.

The Commission has urged the manufacturers of mesh-sided playpens and portable mesh cribs to conduct a nationwide campaign to warn parents of the hazard in order to avoid additional tragedies from occurring.

In several related incidents, despite extensive efforts by Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc., to recall its Candlelite and Mandalay style cribs, a Kansas City, Missouri, area infant was strangled in January, 1983, when he allegedly became entrapped in the decorative headboard of a Candlelite model crib.

The ongoing crib recall was initiated by Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc., of Bassett, Virginia in 1977. To date, the cost of the recall is estimated to be one million dollars. Although only about 7,400 cribs were sold, the occurrence of seven infant deaths moved the company to undertake a notification program that included direct mailings to new parents, warning posters in doctors' waiting rooms, paid magazine ads, and a finder's fee for located uncorrected cribs. More than 4,500 of the affected cribs have been modified. Owners of the Candelite style (Pine Finish, Model #5127, Maple Finish, Model #5208) and Mandalay style (Yellow Finish, Model #5126 or 5621, White Finish, Model #5225) who have not yet modified their crib are urged to contact Bassett at 703-629-7511, extension 340, for a free modification kit. Affected model numbers can be found on the white manufacturer's sticker placed on the inside of the headboard, below mattress level.

Urging consumers to respond to product recalls and warnings has become of major concern to the Commission because of several other tragic incidents which have occurred after notification was made to the public.

Even after an extensive and comprehensive recall campaign to warn parents of the hazards of an indoor gym house, a 3-1/2 year old child became entrapped in the space between the upper rung and platform of an unmodified ladder of an indoor gym house. This incident, which did not result in an injury to the child, occurred just two months after the implementation of extensive corrective action measures. These measures had been voluntarily implemented by the product's manufacturer as a result of three infant deaths attributed to entrapment in the product's ladder.

In another recall involving a stringed stuffed animal mobile, two babies were caught and strangled in the toy -- one death prompted the recall; one occurred after the recall was announced.

These examples illustrate why consumers should not ignore recalls and warnings. When the CPSC announces a product recall it means the uncorrected product is a potential safety hazard, often serious -- to you and your family.

The Commission is concerned that children's products which are under recall, such as cribs and other durable products, may not be immediately corrected or returned to the manufacturer by the consumer, since the product may no longer be in use. However it is imperative that the products under recall not be used until corrected. Consumers are urged to take action when they first hear or read about the hazard. This will assure a safe product in the event it is either given to family or friends or sold for later use by others.

Through the issuance of product safety recalls, warnings, and other safety information, the Commission alerts product users to unexpected and often unforeseen hazards involving children and other consumers. Consumers are urged to call the Commission on its toll-free Hotline to inquire about product recalls and warnings and to report unsafe consumer products. Consumers may call the Commission on the toll-free Hotline at 800-638-CPSC or write the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207. A teletypewriter number for the hearing impaired is (800) 638-8270.