Safer sleep for babies in the New Year

As we prepare to celebrate the coming of a new year, we thought we would recap some of the safe sleep news from this past year. Make a commitment to help KID keep babies safe this year.

2010 was a big year for product safety news:

• CPSC and FDA warn parents against the use of sleep positioners.

• CPSC approves the toughest crib standard in the world.

• Chicago Tribune and KPRC in Houston report on dangers of crib bumper pads.

• University of California study shows increase in SIDS death on New Year's.

• Millions of cribs were recalled in 2010 for faulty hardware, failing drop-side mechanisms, weak side slats and failing mattress supports.
  
  Caramia crib recall
  Generation 2, ChilDESIGN crib recall
  Simplicity crib recall
  Sorelle Crib recall
  Victory Land crib recall
  Longwood Forest Crib recall
  Ethan Allen crib recall
  Childcraft crib recall and here
  Delta crib recall
  Evenflo crib recall
  Jardine crib recall
  Lajobi crib recall
  Million Dollar Baby crib recall
  Simmons crib recall
  Bassettbaby crib recall
  Alexander Design crib recall
  Pottery Barn crib recall
  Sorelle crib recall
  Graco/Lajobi crib recall
  Dorel Asia crib recall
  
  And this is just the list from 2010! Check here for all crib recalls.
  

To keep your baby safe, here are some resources:

• CPSC's crib resource page

• KID's safe sleep flyer

• SIDS Illinois info on safe sleep.

• KID's Q&A on the new crib standard

• KID's blog post on drop-side cribs -- why are they so dangerous?

Q & A on the new crib safety standards: what does it mean for you?

On December 15, 2010, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopted new rules that set strong mandatory standards for cribs and portable cribs. These new standards are now the strongest in the world and will provide assurance to parents that when they buy a new crib; it will keep their child safe. This Q&A attempts to answer questions parents and caregivers may have regarding these ground-breaking rules.

Q. Why do we need a new crib standard?

A. Following recent years of recalls of millions of cribs due to entrapment deaths and injuries, the new standards will ensure that new cribs have been tested for safety to rigorous standards. Many babies were killed or injured in unsafe cribs.

Q. What do the new standards cover?

A. The new rules put many new tests and requirements in place:

• Cribs with full side drop-sides will not be allowed -- the bottom 20" of the crib rail must be fixed to eliminate the entrapment hazards seen when the hardware fails.
• All cribs must undergo rigorous testing for slat strength, durability and mattress support strength. The series of testing is conducted on one crib to simulate a life-time of use. This is the key to the new standard. Most of the 10 million cribs recalled since 2007 were able to meet the weak industry standards that were in place.
• Warnings and labeling have been improved, both to make parents more aware of when a crib is mis-assembled and to alert them to developmental signs to stop using a crib (when the child attempts to climb out). While most attention has been rightly focused on entrapment deaths in cribs, most injuries are as a result of children falling out of cribs.

Q. What types of cribs do these standards and rules cover?

A. The new standards include two sets of similar rules: one for full-size cribs and one for non-full-size cribs. Non-full-size cribs can be smaller, larger or a different shape than a full-size crib, which is a standardized shape and size. The rules do not cover mesh sided play yards or portable cribs, only those with rigid sides such as wood or metal cribs. CPSC will be developing a standard for play yards, but it won’t apply to child care as these do.

Q. What is the timing of all these requirements?

A. The new crib standards will be effective in six months. At this time, new and used cribs for sale will have to meet the standards. Then, child care providers and hotels and other public accommodations will have an additional 18 months to replace their non-compliant cribs. By January 2013, all child care facilities should have compliant and safe cribs. Many providers will be able to comply sooner.

Q. I have a drop-side crib at home. Will it be illegal now to use it?

A. No, the new rules have no impact on use of your own cribs at home. However, it will be illegal to sell older model cribs after the effective date in six months. Here is some information on what to do if you are using a drop-side or other older model crib at home:

First, check the list at CPSC.gov and make sure your crib hasn’t been recalled – millions have. Check the list carefully –cribs might be known by a name other than their brand name, or made by one company and sold under another name. If it doubt, get the model name and number and manufacturer and call CPSC to confirm. If it has been recalled, follow the recall instructions to get a repair kit, replace the crib or receive a refund.

If your crib is not recalled, check all the hardware and plastic parts to make sure it is all tight and there are no broken, cracked or missing pieces. The crib should feel sturdy when you shake it and you should not be able to lower the drop-side by any means other than the manufacturer’s instructed method. If your crib shows any breakage or you can move the drop-side without following the correct method, STOP using the crib. Call the company for replacement parts and do not use the crib until new parts are correctly installed. If the crib doesn’t have replacement parts, stop using it and call both the company and CPSC to report the breakage. Never attempt to fix the crib yourself without the correct hardware and instructions from the manufacturer.

If your crib has no broken, cracked or missing parts and feels sturdy, continue to use it until the child can transition to a bed, but stop using the drop-side mechanism and check frequently – at least once a week -- for loose, broken, cracked or missing hardware or parts. However, do not use the crib for a subsequent child or hand it down since assembly and disassembly of a drop-side crib can increase the risk of failure. It may be worth the peace of mind to purchase a new crib.

Q. I’m short (or have a bad back) and think a fixed side crib will make it too difficult for me to care for my baby. What are my options?

A. Many new cribs are lower to the ground and easier to reach into to pick up or lay down your baby. Another option is a drop-gate cribs in which just the top section of the side rail folds down, allowing easier access. And if you feel you do need a stool for access, consider using a wide stable step such as those for step aerobics classes.

Q. My crib has been recalled or I just don't feel safe using it anymore. What is a safe sleeping arrangement for my baby until I get a new crib?

A. First, if your baby is still under 5 months and not yet rolling over or pushing up on her hands and knees, you can use a safe bassinet. For older babies, a safe (not recalled) portable mesh crib or 'pack and play' is a good alternative. And finally, toddlers can be safely moved to a mattress on the floor or a toddler bed. In fact, many injuries in cribs happen when toddlers attempt to crawl out, so it might be time to make the move anyway. Unsafe sleep arrangements include couches, chairs, soft bedding or with siblings or others in a an adult bed.

For a link to a PDF of this Q&A, click here.

CPSC adopts world's toughest crib standards

Following recent years of recalls of millions of cribs due to entrapment deaths and injuries, the new standards, which become mandatory in six months, will ensure that new cribs have been tested for safety to rigorous standards.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), signed into law in August of 2008, requires CPSC to issue mandatory standards for infant durable products. This provision of the CPSIA was named in honor and in memory of Danny Keysar. Danny was sixteen months-old when he died in his Chicago childcare home because a portable crib collapsed around his neck. The CPSIA requires mandatory standards and testing for durable infant and toddler products, product registration cards and a ban on the sale or lease of unsafe cribs. Cribs are among the first products for which mandatory standards have been promulgated under this provision.

“This new mandatory standard, the strongest in the world, will ensure that new cribs coming onto the market will provide safe haven for babies and their families,” stated Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. “We applaud CPSC for their hard work and tenacity in developing and adopting this landmark rule.”

“Parents and caregivers should have peace of mind that when they leave their baby in a crib that their baby will be safe. For too long that has not been the case,” stated Rachel Weintraub, Director of Product Safety and Senior Counsel for Consumer Federation of America. “We congratulate CPSC for shepherding this strong and much needed consumer protection.”

The new rule puts many new tests and requirements in place:

• Cribs with full side drop-sides will not be allowed -- the bottom 20" of the crib rail must be fixed to eliminate the entrapment hazards seen when the hardware fails.
• All cribs must undergo rigorous testing for slat strength, durability and mattress support strength. The series of testing is conducted on one crib to simulate a life-time use of a crib. This is the key to the new standard. Most of the 10 million cribs recalled since 2007 were able to meet the weak industry standards that were in place.
• Warnings and labeling have been improved, both to make parents more aware of when a crib is mis-assembled and to alert them to developmental signs to stop using a crib (when the child attempts to climb out). While most attention has been rightly focused on entrapment deaths in cribs, most injuries are as a result of children falling out of cribs.

The new requirements are mostly part of the ASTM International voluntary standard that has been adapted to serve as the CPSC mandatory rule. Over the past two years industry, consumer advocates and safety experts have worked feverishly to update the voluntary standard to provide real assurances of a safe product. Prior to the recent rewrite, the most recent significant changes to the voluntary standard were made in 1999. The CPSC mandatory standard was last changed in 1982. The new standards include two sets of similar rules: one for full-size cribs and one for non-full-size cribs. Non-full-size cribs can be smaller, larger or a different shape than a full-size crib, which is a standardized shape and size.

“The lack of durability of recently produced cribs is appalling and has put many babies at risk,” said Don Mays, senior director of product safety and technical policy for Consumers Union/Consumer Reports. “These new regulations will ensure safe sleep environments by raising the bar for the safety and quality of cribs.”

For the first time, this mandatory rule promulgated by CPSC applies to products already in use by some entities as well as to new products. Efforts will begin immediately to remove older unsafe products off store shelves, out of child care homes, and out of hotels. The CPSIA includes a section requiring that cribs that don't meet the new standard can't be sold -- new or used, used in child care, used by hotel guests, or used in other public accommodations. This measure alone will go far in removing unsafe cribs from use. This does not apply to already purchased cribs being used in private homes, except for barring their resale.

Six months after the publication of the standard, all cribs on the market must be in compliance. The Commission voted to give child care facilities and hotels an additional 18 months after that date to replace any non-compliant cribs. CPSC has indicated that cribs currently being manufactured and tested that meet the new standard can continue to be used, even though their sale took place prior to the new rule being official.

“After years of foot dragging by the industry, CPSC has now approved a standard and testing regimen that will keep children safe – avoiding the crib recalls, entrapment deaths and injuries that have plagued the industry,” said Elizabeth Hitchcock of US Public Interest Research Group.

A look back before tomorrow's historic CPSC crib vote

As we posted last week, the CPSC will vote tomorrow on new mandatory standards for full-size and non-full-size cribs. The standards, if adopted, will be the strongest crib standards in the world. This in the country that has had to recall 10 million plus cribs in the last three years because of deaths and injuries from entrapment hazards when the cribs basically fall apart.

But the push for strong mandatory standards didn't start in 2007 when a Chicago Tribune story and a flood of recalled toys from China focused the nation's attention on children's product safety.

There was Danny Lineweaver in California. His parents, Rose and John, founded the Danny Foundation in 1984 after Danny strangled when his clothing was caught on a crib corner post. For years, the Danny Foundation worked to improve the voluntary standard by incorporating the ban against corner posts and crib cut-outs that might catch on clothes or strings. They also supported the Infant Crib Safety Act, requiring that cribs for sale or in use in public accommodations such as child care met current crib standards.

Iin 1997, Tyler died in a drop-side crib. His mother Michelle Witte has fought valiantly for a ban on this particularly hazardous crib design.

Then in 1998, another Danny, Danny Keysar was killed when the portable crib he napped in at child care collapsed, catching his neck in the v-shape of the side rails and strangling him. His parents founded Kids In Danger -- originally to spread the word to parents about recalled products and child safety. But they soon learned that the real problem was bigger -- there was no requirement that children's products like cribs, strollers and high chairs be tested for safety before they were sold. The crib that killed Danny was never tested for the safety of that folding design -- even though it was the first of its kind. Within months on the market, it had killed a child -- the first of six children to die in that particular brand, at least 19 have died in cribs of that same design.

So in 2001, KID board members sat down with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky who had volunteered to help with the problem of unsafe children's products. She asked us, "what would be your ideal fix? What would solve the problem?" Without hesitation, we responded -- strong mandatory standards and independent testing. She drafted the Infant and Toddler Durable Product Safety Act and introduced it that year. Each year co-sponsors signed on, but no vote was taken.

Fast forward to 2007 -- the articles, the recalls and Congressional attention. Now, Congress was ready to act and in 2008, the Infant and Toddler Durable Product Safety Act, along with the Infant Crib Safety Act, were incorporated into the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) under the Danny Keysar Child Product Notification Safety Act. This also included the requirement for product registration cards for these same durable products so parents would learn more quickly of recalls.

Now three years later, the new crib standard, and accreditation procedures for the independent labs that will test these cribs is on the verge of adoption.

KID does our work to honor the memories of Danny Keysar, Tyler Witte and Danny Lineweaver, along with the many other children who have died in unsafe products. Visit the Family Voices website to read just a few of the stories.

We eagerly anticipate tomorrow's vote and hope CPSC does the right thing. Let's give our children a safe future!

CPSC set to vote on final new crib standards

At this week's CPSC Commission meeting, staff presented a briefing on the new rules for full-size and non-full-size cribs. There were few changes from the earlier proposed rules. These new rules put many important tests and requirements in place:

• Cribs with full side drop-sides will not be allowed -- the bottom 20" of the crib rail must be fixed to eliminate the entrapment hazards seen when the hardware fails.
• All cribs must undergo much more rigorous testing for slat strength, durability and mattress support strength. The series of testing is done on one crib to simulate a life-time use of a crib. This is the key to the new standard. Most of the 10 million cribs recalled since 2007 were able to meet the weak industry standards that were in place.
• Warnings and labeling have been improved, both to make parents more aware of when a crib is mis-assembled and to alert them to developmental signs to stop using a crib (when the child attempts to climb out). While most attention has been rightly focused on entrapment deaths in cribs, the largest number of injuries come from children falling out of cribs.
• For the first time, efforts will begin immediately to get the older unsafe cribs off store shelves, out of child care homes and out of use. A portion of the CPSIA requires that cribs that don't meet the new standard can't be sold -- new or used, used in child care, be given to hotel guests or used in other public accommodations. This measure alone will go far in removing unsafe cribs from use. This does not apply to already purchased cribs being used in private homes, except for barring their resale. CPSC staff is recommending that child care facilities have one year from the approval of the new rule to replace any non-compliant cribs. CPSC has indicated that cribs currently being manufactured and tested that meet the new standard can continue to be used, even though their sale took place prior to the new rule being official.

At the briefing on Wednesday, most of the questions were centered around that provision -- that older cribs that don't meet the current standard not be used in child care. While the commissioners all want to see safe cribs in child care and all settings, there was concern expressed over the cost and timeline.

That provision in the CPSIA was first proposed by the Danny Foundation as a way to remove cribs from use that were unsafe. The Danny Foundation (now closed, but supporters went on to start Keeping Babies Safe) was founded by the parents of Danny Lineweaver who strangled when his clothing was caught on a crib cornerpost. The Foundation and its executive director Jack Walsh worked tirelessly to add safety provisions to the voluntary crib standard -- many of which are now in this proposed mandatory standard.

So for now, the vote is scheduled for next Wednesday, December 15 at 10AM EST. However, commissioners have the prerogative to postpone the vote by a week, so we'll keep you posted!

KID submits comments to CPSC on historic crib standards

Since Kids In Danger was founded in 1998 after the death of Danny Keysar in a poorly designed, untested portable crib, KID has focused on one main point: Children's products should be independently tested to rigorous mandatory standards before they are sold, not half-heartedly recalled after they have caused injury.

And with the passage of CPSIA in 2008, containing the Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act; that vision became reality. Now, CPSC has drafted two tough mandatory standards for full-size and non-full-size cribs. Today was the last day to submit comments, which KID has done. Read our comments here. (PDF)

You can go to Regulations.gov and pull up docket number CPSC-2010-0075 to read the proposed standards as well as the many comments submitted. (You even have a few hours left to submit your own!)

KID applauds the actions CPSC has taken to take dangerous cribs and portable cribs off store shelves and homes. We believe these new standards will give parents confidence that cribs that meet the standard are the safest place for their babies to sleep. Among the changes from the old voluntary standards:

• more rigorous tests for stability, hardware, slat strength and durability
• elimination of the dangerous drop-side design
• requirements that will reduce the likelihood of mis-assembly
• Requirement that any cribs that don't meet these new standards can't be sold to unsuspecting parents or used in child care or hotels after the effective date.
• and most importantly -- these aren't voluntary!

The usual effective date for new standards or rules has been six months after final publication -- which in this case would be around the middle of 2011. Because of the impact on child care facilities, KID is recommending that they have an additional six months to comply -- still leaving the effective date for manufacturers and the sale of the products at six months.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the new crib standards. KID has always believed that parents assume when they buy a new crib or other children's product that someone, somewhere has made sure it is safe. Now we can say that will be the truth! There is still more to be done -- these standards don't apply to mesh sided portable cribs and play yards and there are other products still waiting for mandatory standards such as high chairs and strollers, but progress is being made.

Update: Here are the comments from our allies at Consumer Federation of America and you can read all the comments here.

Child product safety news

CPSC votes unanimously on new tough crib standards.

CPSC issues recall and discusses dangers of crib and play yard tents.

CNN reports on one mother's fight for safe cribs.

Pottery Barn recalls all their dropside cribs.

Have questions about drop-side cribs? Check out KID's blog post.

Or this podcast with KID on CNN Radio.

CPSC issues warning about drop-side cribs

After the most recent in a long run of recalls of drop-side cribs, CPSC today issued their strongest warning to date about the dangers of drop-side cribs. Citing at least 32 deaths attributed to faulty drop-side design, CPSC says they are inherently less durable that fixed side cribs. CPSC is likely to follow the lead of the voluntary standard setting body, ASTM International, and ban the design in the mandatory standard due out by the end of this year.

In the warning on their blog, On Safety, CPSC states that many of the deaths happen when hardware fails -- breaking or deforming, leaving a gap where a child can become entrapped. The incidents took place both before parents had realized the crib was broken and in some cases after parents attempted to fix the broken crib. In some cases, because of a poor design, the crib could be put together wrong - still working, but leading to earlier failure of the hardware. CPSC again warned parents against trying to fix cribs that break. Instead, contact the manufacturer for replacement parts, or perhaps a refund for the defective crib.

Many of the safety recommendations are also in our recent post on drop-side cribs. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office has also released a poster about drop-side crib hazards. Bottom line? Avoid drop-side cribs if possible and check them carefully and often both for recalls and broken hardware if you are currently using one.

Print and Post this important flyer

Once again, the Illinois Attorney General's office is taking the lead on children's product safety and has put together this flyer (Spanish) on the hazards of drop-side cribs. Kids in Danger and many other child safety and health organizations have signed on.

Print this out and post at child care facilities, church or synagogue nurseries, parenting sites, schools and where ever else parents and caregivers gather.

Deadly Generation 2, ChildESIGNS cribs recalled

CPSC announced the recall today of at least 500,000 cribs sold under the Generation 2 or ChilDesign labels. The company is now out of business, so CPSC doesn't have specific numbers of cribs, but knows of at least three deaths. The crib's hardware fails presenting both drop-side and mattress support failures and entrapments. Here is information from their release:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing the recall of all Generation 2 Worldwide and “ChildESIGNS” drop side cribs. CPSC is warning parents and caregivers who own these drop side cribs that infants and toddlers are at risk of serious injury or death due to strangulation and suffocation hazards presented by the cribs. CPSC staff urges parents and caregivers to stop using these cribs immediately and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Do not attempt to fix these cribs.

The crib’s plastic hardware can break which can cause the drop side of the crib to detach from a corner of the crib. When the drop side detaches, it creates a space into which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged or entrapped. When a child is entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress, it creates a risk of suffocation or strangulation. In addition, the crib’s mattress support can detach from the crib frame, creating a hazardous space in which an infant or toddler could become entrapped and suffocate or strangle.

CPSC has received reports of three infants who suffocated when they became entrapped between the crib mattress and the drop side when the drop side detached. In July 2007, an eight month old child from Newark, Ohio suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress. The drop side of his crib had detached due to a broken plastic stop tab on the lower track. In October 2003, an eight month old child from Richmond, Ind. suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress. The plastic hardware on the drop side was broken and allowed the drop side to detach from the crib headboard in one corner. In September 2002, a six month old from Staunton, Va. suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and crib mattress. The lower drop side track was missing two screws which allowed it to pull away from the headboard post and detach.

CPSC has also received reports of 20 other drop side incidents, 12 of which involved the drop side detaching in a corner of the crib. In two of these incidents, a child became entrapped. One child suffered bruising from the entrapment. There are five reports of children falling out of the cribs due to drop side detachment. One child suffered a broken arm as a result of the fall.

In addition, CPSC has received 8 reports of mattress support detachment in these cribs. Due to the space created by the detachment, three children became entrapped between the crib frame and the sagging mattress and four children crawled out of the crib. There was one report of cuts and bruises.

The name “Generation 2 Worldwide” appears on a label affixed to the crib’s headboard or footboard. Some labels identify the place of manufacture as Dothan, Ala. Others identify China as the country of manufacture. The name “ChildESIGNS” appears on the teething rail of some of the cribs.

The recalled cribs were sold at numerous local furniture and retail stores including Buy Buy Baby, and Kmart and Walmart stores nationwide for between $60 and $160. Consumers should contact the store from which they purchased the crib for remedy information, which will vary between a refund, replacement crib or store credit, depending on the retailer. Consumers are urged to contact CPSC and report any difficulties in obtaining a remedy from their place of purchase.

Important Message from CPSC:

CPSC would like to remind 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. Any disengagement can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib, especially with tape, wire or rope.

For more information on Crib Safety, visit CPSC's Crib Information Center.

A week of progress on crib safety

I've been in Washington, DC this week to work on crib safety.

Up first, two days of an ASTM (voluntary standard setting body) meeting at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on beefing up the voluntary standard that has governed crib safety for the past several decades. Under the requirements in the landmark Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), CPSC now must develop mandatory standards to cover crib and other durable infant and toddler products. Suddenly, testing methods and performance requirements that were shunned by industry for years are now on the table for a strong standard. The participating groups -- testing labs, consumers, manufacturers and CPSC worked hard to address all the hazard patterns that CPSC has seen in incident reports -- dropside failures, hardware failure, mattress support collapses, breaking slats and more.

By sometime this summer, CPSC should be posting an NPR (notice of rulemaking) with the new regulations on cribs to be in the place by the end of the year.

Then today, KID, along with Susan & Robert Cirigliano, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) and CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum testified before the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation. The Committee had called hearing on crib safety and the need for greater oversight after becoming alarmed by the million of cribs recalled recently.

Susan and Robert (pictured at right with CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum) are the parents of Bobby, who died in a dropside crib when he was six months old in 2004. Susan gave moving testimony of what an unsafe product took from their family and the steps they think are needed to protect other children from the same fate. She called for a ban on drop-side crib designs as well as better reporting of incidents and data tracking at CPSC.

JPMA executive director Mike Dwyer also testified about their certification program and their work with ASTM in developing the voluntary standard. He did not attempt to answer the question as to why millions of their certified cribs, bassinets and play yards have been recalled in the last two years and was cut short by the Committee members when he tried to shift the blame to the parents in the death involved in the recent Dorel Asia crib recall. (Dorel Asia's cribs are not part of the JPMA certification program.) That being said, JPMA members worked hard the last two days at CPSC to develop a much stronger standard -- now that it is required.

KID's testimony centered not only on the frustrating history of trying to strengthen the voluntary crib standard, but with consumer expectations and use of cribs and other things CPSC could do to improve crib safety. These include continuing their work on a public database of consumer incident information and increasing recall effectiveness.

CPSC Chairman Tenenbaum spoke of her commitment to improving crib safety and looking at ways CPSC can react more quickly to reports of unsafe products. She gave her personal commitment that there would be a strong mandatory standard by year's end. Given her staff's hard work toward that objective we have confidence CPSC will meet that goal. KID will be an active participant, along with other consumer organizations such as Consumer Federation of America and Keeping Babies Safe, to make sure the new rules are strong enough to keep children safe in cribs.

Nancy Cowles
Executive Director, Kids In Danger

Safety Updates and News on 12/23/09

Here is a brief roundup of some news coming across our desk this week:

A class action lawsuit on behalf of families whose children played with the CSI Fingerprinting Kit by Planet Toys has reached a tentative settlement. The suit alleged asbestos was found in the fingerprinting powder. If you had or have one of these toys, January 14, 2010 is your last chance to register for the settlement. For more information, visit the website.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) this week announced the results of their booster seat testing for fit -- how each seat positions the seatbelt on a child. They tested sixty seats and rates some as Best Bets, Good Bets and Not Recommended, along with those where the data was inconsistent. In addition to the information at IIHS, Consumer Reports, Car Seat Blog and SafeKids also have coverage and advice.

A ban on drop side cribs has been introduced in New York. And the ASTM International recently published the new voluntary standard on Full Size Cribs that also eliminates that design. Because Illinois' Childrens Product Safety Act requires cribs to comply with ASTM standards, cribs with drop sides may violate that law now in Illinois and can't be sold, new or used by commercial sellers.

And we found this on the Toy Industry Association site, Toy Info: a panel discussion with industry safety experts who also happen to be moms -- some good information on checking second hand products and age grading of toys.

And finally, CPSC is holding another 2 day workshop, this one on the development of the Public Database. The panel information and registration is now available at the CPSC site.

UPDATE: Suffolk County Bans Drop-Side Cribs

Suffolk County is the first city in the nation to put a ban on the sale of drop-side baby cribs. Unfortunately, millions of drop-side baby cribs have been recalled due to their connections with a number of injuries and deaths to infant children- including the nation’s largest crib recall on Monday, November 22nd . Before signing the nation’s first drop-side crib ban Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy declared that, “one of the last places a parent assumes their child may be in danger would be in his or her own crib”... “We owe it to our youngsters to minimize their exposure to dangerous and potentially deadly products, and Legislator Horsley’s landmark legislation will provide parents with one less hazard to worry about.”

BACK to Sleep: SIDS deaths in child care

One of the leading causes of deaths for infants up to the age of one is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). One in five SIDS deaths occur among infants who are in child care. Additional research has found a link between SIDS and babies who are placed to sleep on their stomachs. In light of this information there are several ways that parents and caregivers can help reduce SIDS risk:

• Always place babies on their backs when sleeping.
• Infants should be placed on a firm mattress or sleep surface in a safe crib. Do not place babies on or near stuffed animals, pillows, quilts or other soft surfaces.
• Check to make sure the crib is not missing any hardware and has not been recalled.
  
• Dress infants appropriately warm in light sleepwear. The room temperature should be at comfortable levels for an adult

Parents and caregivers should talk together about safe sleep. For more information and tips on safe sleep in child care, click here.

One million Kolcraft play yards recalled

Kolcraft and CPSC announced the recall today of one million play yards. The side rail of the play yard can unexpectedly collapse, causing a fall and an entrapment hazard. The release cites 347 incidents in which the side arm failed, including 21 injuries. The recall covers many brand names including Carter's, Sesame Street, Jeep, Kolcraft and more.

The play yards recalled were sold over a nine year period, from January 2000 through January of this year. We don't know when Kolcraft began getting reports of product failures and why it took that long and over 300 incidents to announce the recall. It is also unclear what the 'repair kit' is that the company will supply on request. KID believes that sleep environment recalls should always give parents the option of a refund or replacement product.

Kolcraft has previous history with a collapsing side rail play yard -- The Playskool Travel-Lite. This is the product that collapsed and killed Danny Keysar, whose parents founded Kids In Danger. Danny was one of six children to die in the Playskool Travel Lite and one of seventeen known deaths in play yards with the same faulty design.

This latest recall comes on the heels of a string of crib recalls. It leaves parents with a real dilemma as to where their child should sleep while they await a new crib or a repair kit for their play yard/portable crib. KID has some advice for safe sleep here (PDF) and advises parents that keeping a child in a recalled product should not be done -- the risk is too great.

These recalls highlight the need for the provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 that call for stronger mandatory standards for infant and toddler durable products such as cribs and play yards. CPSC has begun that process, but we believe these new recalls should encourage the agency to make sleep environment standards a top priority.

CPSC holds roundtable on crib safety

The roundtable was attended by consumer advocates, safety groups, manufacturers, retailers, government regulators from the US, Europe and Canada and testing labs. CPSC staff presented useful information about the incidents, injuries and deaths they see involving cribs and other sleep environments as well as a comparison of standards and a glimpse at their Early Warning System for reviewing sleep environment incidents. All their presentations as well as those from KID and the other presentors can be found on CPSC's website. The afternoon allowed time for an exchange of ideas from the audience on ways to improve crib safety.

Reminder: CPSC Crib Roundtable on Wednesday

This Wednesday, CPSC will host a staff Roundtable on cribs and other sleep environments. KID, as well as others with a stake in crib safety, will be making comments . Here's the agenda (PDF), you can also view it online.

KID participates in live Webcast today

Live Web chat Monday-from the Chicago Sun Times:

Please join The Fixer at noon (CDT) today at as we chat with Nancy Cowles, executive director of Kids in Danger, a Chicago-based organization that has been on the front lines of legislation to make children's products safer.

You remember the scares last year about lead paint on toys and high-strength magnets that toddlers were swallowing? Consumer groups are hoping to finally give the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission the teeth it needs to stop products like these from reaching our stores.

We'll also have a link afterward where people can view the rerun online.

Babies"R"Us posts Jardine Crib recall info and hotline

Since the recall of the 320,000 Jardine cribs six weeks ago, Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us have relied on Jardine to interact with consumers on the recall process. But since the cribs were only sold through Babies"R"Us and can only be replaced by cribs from Babies"R"Us, consumers have looked to the chain to help them with the confusing process. From a Jardine hotline that drops callers repeatedly, to low inventory of replacement cribs in the stores, to confusion at the branch level of what the store policies are on online purchases and refunds on the vouchers; Jardine crib owners are growing frustrated. Now Babies"R"Us has posted the voucher policy on their website and announced a hotline (973-617-5000) for crib owners who need assistance.

In the meantime, please continue to spread the word of this recall to any parents or caregivers and if you have the crib, don't let your child sleep in it -- even if it means weeks in a portable crib or playyard. The cribs are unsafe. Again, recommendations for your baby's sleeping in the meantime:

• If you can afford it, purchase a new crib online or at a Babies”R”Us store and get reimbursed when your voucher arrives.
• For newborns and babies not yet pushing up or rolling over, they can stay in a bassinet
• Older babies (close to 2) can be moved to the crib mattress on the floor of a childproofed nursery
• Other babies can sleep in a portable crib or playpen. Make sure it hasn’t been recalled and meets current safety standards (JPMA seal). This means it was tested for use as a sleep environment.
• Never put a baby to sleep on couches, chairs, strollers or water beds; or with another child or in a sleep environment with soft bedding.
  
• If you need help to secure a safe sleeping product for your baby while you wait for your new crib, contact the CPSC public affairs department at 301-504-7908. They are working with nonprofits to supply safe portable cribs as needed.