It is important for consumers to check the baby furniture and equipment in their home, to ensure that there are no recalls associated with the product. When buying something new, most stores do remove items from the shelves that are effected by a recall, however, at times an item may be overlooked. To find the latest information about recalls, there are a few sources that are helpful in determining if a baby product is safe to use or not.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was created to help protect the public from injury or death from the numerous consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The items listed on the website may have been recalled due to fire, electrical, mechanical or chemical hazard. Consumers can sign up for the email subscription list to be notified of new recalls the same day they are listed with the CPSC. The thousands of products listed on the CPSC’s website include baby furniture, outdoor sporting equipment and toys.
Consumers who are purchasing a crib should avoid traditional drop-side cribs, as there have been at least 32 infant deaths associated with drop-side cribs since 2000. There have been over 11 million cribs recalled by the CPSC since 2007. As of December 15, 2010, new guidelines have been approved that prohibit the sale and manufacturing of traditional drop-side cribs. Companies must comply with new guidelines for manufacturing cribs, including rigorous safety testing, strengthening crib supports and slats, and making the hardware more durable. Consumers who are looking for a crib or other baby furniture should always check the CPSC website before purchasing an item to ensure it is not part of a recall.
For the latest information on car seat recalls, consumers can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This organization was created to carry out safety programs, investigate safety defects in vehicles, and reduce deaths, injuries and economic losses due to motor vehicle accidents. On the NHTSA’s website consumers can locate car seat recalls and register their child’s car seat to receive recall information.
On recalls.gov, consumers can find information about the latest recalls from the six regulatory agencies that participate in the site. The items that are shown include child safety seats and consumer products. The Food and Drug Administration, also include items such as baby food or medications.