Cribs (Last Updated 05/15/2008)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff is participating in voluntary standards activities to address hazards associated with cribs including hardware problems, corner post design issues, labeling/warnings and, in particular, crib slat disengagement. In FY 1997, the Commission published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) pertaining to crib slat disengagement. When slats disengage from the crib side rail, a gap is left between the remaining slats. A child may be able to get his or her body through the space but not his or her head, resulting in entrapment and potentially severe injury or death. From January 1, 1985, to June 6, 1996, CPSC was aware of 138 slat disengagement incidents, including 12 deaths.
In July 1999, ASTM published a revised voluntary standard for full-size cribs that included more stringent requirements to address the hazards associated with crib slat integrity. The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), administrator of a voluntary program to certify cribs meeting the ASTM standard, started including these new provisions in its test program during the summer of 2000. The ASTM standard was revised in 2003, though the requirements pertaining to crib slats were not changed.
In 2001, CPSC staff initiated a program to determine the level of conformance to the new crib slat provisions of the ASTM voluntary standard by crib manufacturers. In 2006, staff is analyzing data associated with crib slat incidents and monitoring plan results.
Additional Information
Safety Alerts:
Soft Bedding May Be Hazardous To Babies (HTML), (PDF), (PDF - Spanish)
- CPSC Cautions Caregivers about Hidden Hazards for Babies on Adult Beds (HTML), (HTML - Spanish), (PDF), (PDF - Spanish)
- Crib Sheets (HTML), (PDF)
- Safety Tips for Sleeping Babies (HTML), (HTML - Spanish), (PDF), (PDF - Spanish)
Press Releases:
CPSC Staff Reports, Memoranda and Contracts:
Options to Address Crib Slat Disengagement Hazards, November 1996
- Making Cribs Safer, Consumer Product Safety Review, Winter 1997
Voluntary Standard and Code Activities:
Mandatory Standards:
CFR 16 Part 1508, Requirements for full-size baby cribs
- Regulatory Summary Full Size Cribs
Contact ASTM International
For additional information on ASTM F 1169-03 Standard Specification for Full-Size Baby Cribs, contact Katharine Morgan at kmorgan@astm.org or ASTM International at http://www.astm.org
Contact CPSC
For additional information or to comment, please contact cpsc-os@cpsc.gov
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