Product Recalls and Warnings As Massachusetts Sends Children Back to School
Check your package to make sure it’s safe and contains what you ordered. That’s one of several warnings about product safety as students head back to school in Massachusetts.
Parents, as school begins, there are good reasons to double check your child’s backpack, daycare program and dorm room, as well as online purchases. There have been several recent recalls and news reports about unsafe products, providing warnings for children of all ages.
Dangerous Products on Amazon. It’s convenient to place a quick order on Amazon and see the package arrive in no time. But a Wall Street Journal investigation has found the retailer is actually selling thousands of unsafe products. These products have been declared unsafe by federal agencies, are deceptively labeled or are banned by federal regulators. The Journal’s investigation documented 4,152 dangerous products, including toys and medications, according to news reports.
Amazon draws the majority of its business from third-party merchant sales and the report questions Amazon’s oversight of these sellers. Meanwhile, the company has reportedly removed some of the products and said it is committed to consumer safety, investing over $400 million toward these efforts in 2018.
Always do your research when making online purchases and open packages as soon as they arrive. Check that the packaging matches what appears online. Parents should carefully inspect the age recommendations and take inventory of unexpected pieces and parts that could cause choking and other injuries.
Contigo Water Bottles. Contigo has recalled 5.7 million of its Contigo Kids Cleanable Water Bottles, saying they can detach and pose a choking hazard. The Chicago-based company has received 149 complaints, including 18 reports of children found with the detached spout in their mouths. Contigo will provide a free replacement lid for the products. Read more.
Infant Sleepers. Fisher-Price issued a product recall for the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play sleepers back in April. But the unsettling news is some of the recalled cribs are still in use. In a survey of 376 daycare centers, one in four were still using at least one of Fisher-Price’s recalled sleepers, according to USA Today. This report just came out in the last few days.
Parents please read this article and talk to your child’s daycare provider. Fisher-Price recalled the sleepers following 10 deaths. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is now aware of more than 30 infant deaths.
Battery-Operated Skateboards. We want to mention a news headline out of Ohio because while it’s several states away, it provides an important warning for Massachusetts parents of college students. On Tuesday, a battery-operated skateboard sparked a 5th floor dormitory fire at the University of Cincinnati, causing a reported $20,000 in damage to Calhoun Hall, a 12-story structure housing hundreds of students. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Officials have not identified the product which caused the fire, but the incident is a reminder that dangerous products can have a far more devastating effect in college housing. Read and follow the college’s guidelines on products which are not permitted.
Stay Informed About Product Recalls
Because there is nothing more critical than your child’s safety and well-being, we urge you to check the Consumer Product Safety Commission website to learn about other recent recalls. To stay informed, you can sign up for regular email alerts about product recalls or visit the CPSC website periodically.
Contact a Boston Product Liability Attorney
Breakstone, White & Gluck has represented those injured by defective products in Massachusetts for more than 25 years. We periodically share information on product recalls and unsafe products to help prevent injuries before they happen.
If you or a loved one have been injured by a defective product, seek immediate medical attention. Preserve the product and contact an attorney to learn your legal rights.
For a free legal consultation, contact our Boston product liability attorneys at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676. You can also use our contact form.