CPSC, Manufacturers, Importers Announce Recall of Wooden and Metal Bunk Beds

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), five bunk bed manufacturers and importers are voluntarily recalling about 16,500 wooden and metal bunk beds. The bunk beds have openings on the top bunk that present a potential entrapment hazard to young children. The spaces can be large enough for a child's body to pass through, but small enough to entrap the child's head.

Since November 1994, CPSC and 36 manufacturers and importers have announced recalls of more than 514,500 wooden and metal bunk beds with similar entrapment hazards. In response to this action, the manufacturers and importers participating in this recall also have identified wooden and metal bunk beds with similar entrapment hazards.

Since 1990, CPSC has received reports of 35 children who died from becoming caught in the top of wooden bunk beds. Thirty-four of those children were 3 years old or younger. In addition, CPSC has received reports of five children who died from becoming caught in the top of metal bunk beds. All five children were 2 years old or younger. A recent death occurred on April 24, 1997. A 3-year-old girl died from becoming caught in a wooden bunk bed manufactured by Heartland Furniture. CPSC is not aware of any additional deaths related to the other manufacturers and importers participating in this recall.

The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) voluntary standard for bunk beds requires that, in addition to having guardrails on both sides of the top bunk, all spaces between the guardrail and bed frame, and in the head and foot boards on the top bunk, should be less than 3.5 inches. Bunk beds currently made or imported by the companies listed below now meet the spacing requirement of the voluntary standard. The companies also are providing permanent labels or placing permanent labels on their bunk beds to warn that children under the age of 6 should be prohibited from the upper bunk. CPSC and the manufacturers and importers continue to urge parents and caregivers not to put children under the age of 6 on the top bunk.

The manufacturers and importers listed below are participating in this recall to improve the safety of these beds and to meet the requirements of the voluntary standard. Consumers should stop using the recalled beds immediately and call the company or contact the retailer for a replacement guardrail, retrofit kit or instructions to help eliminate the potential entrapment hazard. If this cannot be done (for example, firm out of business) then consumers should discard or destory the product. If consumers are not sure of the bunk bed manufacturer or retailer or if they have questions about this recall, they should call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772.