University of Michigan students design safer crib

Students at the University of Michigan joined together in Project Safe Crib to look at design ideas to eliminate some of the hazards that have led to millions of cribs being pulled from the market due to defects, injuries and deaths. The team developed a prototype (painted of course in proud Michigan colors) that can only be assembled one way and with virtually no hardware, even though it still has a dropside. The dropside can even store under the mattress creating a daybed or changing table mode.

If you are interested in learning more, contact us at KID. The project is part of KID's Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) program to integrate design safety into undergraduate engineering programs. This is the sixth year KID has worked with a team from UM.

Recent Safety Resources

• KID joined Illinois PIRG in the release of its 23rd annual toy safety report, Trouble In Toyland.The report educates consumers about the new federal safety legislation and highlights the year's most pressing hazards including lead, choking and phthalates.
  
• For crib recall information and safe sleep tips, check out the Illinois Attorney General's Rest Assured Guide.
• The IL AG has also released Play It Safe, a 2008 recall guide.
• Consumers Union has released Still Not Safe, a report on recalls issued during the CPSC 2008 fiscal year.
• Healthytoys.org just released their results from testing toys for toxic chemicals. Check out their findings here.
  
• CPSC has a holiday toy safety poster for child care or health care facilities to post for parents.
  

CPSC has posted request for input on crib standard

While saying that it is not officially starting the process on a new crib standard as required by the recently passed CPSIA, CPSC did post an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on a possible mandatory regulation. Comments are due by January 26, 2009. This ANPR and request for comments focuses mostly on dropside failures including design and hardware issues.

Illinois Senate passes lead labeling law!

SB 2860 (Hunter), which amends the Illinois Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, passed the Illinois Senate unanimously today.

This legislation will protect Illinois’ children from lead by requiring that manufacturers include lead warning statements for painted toys, jewelry and children’s products intended to facilitate the feeding, sleeping or relaxation of children under six that that contain excess levels of lead.

Products with lead higher than the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested level of 40 parts per million (ppm) will be required to carry the warning label. The new federal law being implemented now requires lead levels of 90ppm for painted products (by August 09) and 600 ppm for jewelry and other children's products by February 09 (the level continues to drop to a possible 100ppm in 2011).

SB 2860 allows parents to avoid products with any detectable lead, even if it is below the federal limit.

Illinois Senate to consider lead labeling bill

SB 2860 (Hunter), which amends the Illinois Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, will be voted on by the Illinois Senate as early as Wednesday, November 19.

This legislation would better protect Illinois’ children from lead by requiring that manufacturers include lead warning statements for painted toys, jewelry and children’s products intended to facilitate the feeding, sleeping or relaxation of children under six that that contain excess levels of lead.

The bill requires the warning when the amount of lead is higher than the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested highest level of 40 parts per million (ppm) but lower than the level allowed under the new federal law (currently 600 ppm, but drops to a low of 90 ppm).

SB 2860 allows parents to avoid products with any detectable lead, even if it is below the federal limit.

Contact your Senator and urge him/her to vote Yes on SB 2860!

Click here to find your elected representatives.