CPSC Bans Drop-Side Cribs and Approves New Crib Safety Standards

In a unanimous vote, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has approved new mandatory crib standards that ban the manufacture and sale of drop-side cribs, strengthen mattress support, demand stronger crib hardware, and make safety tests tougher. Cribs made, sold, or rented in the US have to comply with these standards by June 2011. Hotels, motels, child care facilities, family child care homes, and other places of public accommodations have 24 months after the rule is published to be in compliance. This marks the first time in almost three decades that the crib safety standards have been updated
Since 2007, the CPSC has recalled over 11 million dangerous cribs. More than 9 million drop-side cribs have been recalled since 2005. At least 32 infant strangulation and suffocation deaths involving drop-side cribs have occurred in this last decade.
As our child injury lawyers have reported in past blog posts, many crib injuries have taken place. Fall accidents, entrapment, strangulation, and suffocation are among the more common kinds of crib accidents. Per USA Today in August, its analysis of CPSC information found that before 14 crib companies recalled their cribs, they received over 900 incident reports complaining of crib injuries and deaths, as well as of cribs falling apart.
Faulty or defective hardware, too big of a gap that can get created between the crib’s drop-side and the mattress, and drop-side malfunction are just some of the defects that have contributed to the child injuries and deaths. The CPSC is hoping that the tougher safety standards will reduce the dangers found in cribs and save lives while making it easier for children and parents to sleep through the night.
CPSC Approves Strong New Crib Safety Standards To Ensure a Safe Sleep for Babies and Toddlers, CPSC, December 17, 2010
CPSC’s ban on drop-side cribs takes effect in June, USA Today, December 17, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008

(PDF)
Crib safety tips, Consumer Reports

Contact our crib defect lawyers to discuss your case.

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