Posts Tagged ‘Children’s product recalls’
Baby Carriers Are Latest Children’s Product Recall
Parents place a great deal of trust in baby carriers to support their children. However, you should now check yours because it may not be as safe as you think.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a Feb. 6th recall notice for about 14,000 Infantino baby carriers sold by Amazon and Target between Nov. 15 and Dec. 20, 2019. Because the recalls took place over the holiday season, parents could have purchased a baby carrier or received one as a holiday gift.
While no injuries have been reported, the buckles on the infant carriers can break, causing a child’s fall. Parents should stop using the front-facing baby carriers and request a free replacement.
The Infantino carriers have a black or gray body, with black straps, and a front pocket. Look for the code sewn inside the carrier. This is the place to start because baby carriers often look similar.
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Go Forward 4-in-1 Evolved Ergonomic Carrier |
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Go Forward 4-in-1 Evolved Ergonomic Carrier |
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Flip Front2back Carrier |
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Up Close Newborn Carrier |
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High Rate of Children’s Products Recalls
As you check if your baby carrier was recalled, look around your home for other children’s products, such as strollers, car seats, cribs and other baby furniture. Take a minute to visit the CPSC website and type in the product name. This is a good time of year to check children’s products because you may be using some of them more in the nice weather.
Children’s products have a high rate of recalls so it is best to check a few times of year and follow the news and the CPSC website. Manufacturers do not always contact parents directly and there are times parents may be using a hand-me-down recall product, making it harder to track product recalls or news about injuries.
But so far, 2020 has been a year to follow recall news. Just as the holiday season ended, a series of children’s product recalls began. On January 16th, the CPSC announced the recall of 2,000 “Baby Trend” strollers sold by Amazon and Target. Those too could drop children should the stroller hinge joints release and collapse under pressure.
Then on January 29th, the CPSC announced the recall of 165,000 infant sleepers from Summer Infant, Graco, Delta Enterprise Corp. and Evenflo. The inclined sleepers are the latest recalls in the wake of the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play, which was recalled in April 2019.
As authorities continue to investigate, families have reported more than 70 infant deaths in inclined infant sleepers. University of Arkansas researchers have studied these sleepers and recommended infants sleep on flat surfaces or less than a 10 degree incline if any. The Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play and other sleepers placed children at a 30 degree incline, creating a risk for suffocation when infants attempted to turn.
Free Legal Consultation – Boston Product Liability Lawyer
Breakstone, White & Gluck has obtained record results for plaintiffs in Massachusetts cases involving personal injury, medical malpractice and product liability. If you or a loved one has been injured by an unsafe or defective product, our attorneys can advise you of your legal rights to seek compensation. For a free legal consultation, contact our product liability attorneys at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form.
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.
After Infant Deaths, Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper is Recalled
Fisher-Price has recalled its Rock ‘n Play sleeper after an investigation found more than 30 infants died while using it.
It once looked the perfect place to nap and cuddle. But this adorable product – the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper – wasn’t ever safe. Fisher-Price and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall of 4.7 million sleepers on April 12, 2019. Parents are being urged disassemble the sleeper and stop using it. The company expects to spend the next several months processing recalls.
Prior to the company’s action, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) had joined Consumer Reports in calling for the product’s removal, stating the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play failed to comply with its recommendations, which state infants should only sleep on flat and firm surfaces. Further, the AAP advises infants should not be left on the same surface as other bedding, toys or bumpers, which could increase the risk of infant suffocation or choking.
Fisher-Price, a division of Mattel, is asking parents to contact the company for a refund or voucher toward another Fisher-Price product. The company will offer a full refund for Rock ‘n Play sleepers purchased during the past six months.
Resources:
Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Recall Notice, Consumer Product Safety Commission
Mattel and Fisher-Price Recall Page for Parents
The Week of Bad Headlines for Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price and the CPSC announced the product’s recall on Friday, April 12th, following days of pressure from safety organizations. Fisher-Price had initially resisted.
On April 5, the CPSC and Fisher-Price released an initial warning and announced 10 infants had died in the Rock ‘n Play between 2015 and 2019. The infants were all 3 months or older and died after rolling over from their back to their stomach or side.
At that point, there was no recall, but parents were advised to stop placing children in the sleeper once they reach 3 months old, or earlier if they begin turning themselves over.
Days later, Consumer Reports came out with a troubling report linking the product to not 10, but 32 infant deaths since the 2009 release. The consumer watchdog called on the CPSC to immediately issue a recall of the defective product. In response, Fisher-Price said the company did not believe any of these deaths were caused by the sleeper. Rather, the company said medical and health conditions were cited as the cause in some deaths, and in other cases involved improper use of the sleeper.
Shortly after, Americans heard from the AAP: “This product is deadly and should be recalled immediately.”
Despite the AAP recommendations, Fisher-Price managed to introduce the Rock n’ Play and sold it for a decade. Before the recall, it was selling for $40 to $149 at various retailers. The product sits elevated in a canopy-like environment for sleeping and sitting and featuring a “motorized rocking motion” and musical tunes. The problem is when a baby’s head falls forward or sideways. This can block the child’s access to oxygen.
Parents should do careful research when buying children’s products. Monitor the CPSC website for warnings and recalls, as well as the Consumer Reports website. We can expect to hear more about the dangers of other sleeper products in the near future, as Consumer Reports continues its investigation. On April 11, it reported on four other child deaths linked to Kids II sleepers.
More Reading:
Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper Should Be Recalled Immediately, Consumer Reports
Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Recall, New York Times
Buying Safe Toys, Breakstone, White & Gluck Project KidSafe
Contact the CPSC About Dangerous Products and Injuries
If you are ever injured while using a consumer product, you should contact the CPSC to report the injury. The CPSC is the federal agency responsible for overseeing the recall process, releasing warnings to the public and collecting injury data. The CPSC works with manufacturers to issue product recalls.
Free Legal Consultation – Contact a Boston Product Liability Lawyer
If you have been injured, it is also in your best interests to consult a Boston product liability attorney. At Breakstone, White & Gluck, our Boston attorneys have represented clients injured by defective products, medical devices and vehicles. Prompt investigation is necessary in product liability cases and our attorneys are known for our thorough, detailed and capable investigation.
For a free legal consultation, contact our lawyers today at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form.