July 20, 2010: Pottery Barn Kids Recalls Drop-Side Cribs
On July 14th
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that Pottery Barn Kids, a
division of Williams-Sonoma, Inc., is initiating a voluntary recall of
drop-side cribs. This recall involves all Pottery Barn Kids drop-side cribs
regardless of the model number and affects about 82,000 products.
The cribs’
drop-sides can detach when hardware breaks, creating a space into which a young
child can become entrapped and suffocate, or fall out of the crib. Drop side
incidents also occur due to incorrect assembly and with age-related wear and
tear.
CPSC and
Pottery Barn Kids have received 36 reports of drop sides that have
malfunctioned or detached, resulting in seven minor injuries when children fell
out of the cribs or got their legs caught between the mattress and the drop
side. One child became entrapped at the head between the drop side and crib
mattress but was freed without injury.
These
cribs were sold exclusively
through the Pottery Barn Kids catalog, www.potterybarnkids.com, and at Pottery
Barn Kids retail stores nationwide from January 1999 through March 2010 for
between $300 and $600. Pottery Barn Kids is printed on a label attached to the
crib headboard or footboard.
Consumers
should immediately stop using the recalled cribs, inspect the hardware to make
sure it is not broken, and contact
Pottery Barn Kids to receive a free fixed-gate conversion kit that will
immobilize the drop side. For a complete list of all models included in the
recall go to the firm’s web site at www.potterybarnkids.com.
CPSC reminds parents:
Not to
use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten
hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side
crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part
operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for
disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition,
do not try to repair any side of the crib. Babies have died in cribs where
repairs were attempted by caregivers. Age is factor in the safety of any crib.
At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you not use a crib that is older than
10 years. Many older cribs may not meet current voluntary standards and can have numerous
safety problems.
If you or
a loved one has been injured by a defective product and have questions about
your legal rights, fill out a Free Case Evaluation, and we will be sure to contact
you.
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