CPSC, Graco Announce Recall of Infant Swings
Press Release # 00-098
Transcript
(Pictures of swings) Graco Children's Products Inc., of Elverson, Pennsylvania. in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is providing new safety restraints for about 7 million infant swings manufactured before November 1997. (close-up of recalled swing) These new restraints will upgrade older swings which have a waist belt only with a hinged or removable tray. (picture of a swing) There have been about 209 incidents with the swings, (picture of a swing) 6 of which were deaths. The incidents occurred when (picture of swing with missing parts) parts were missing or the restraints were not used and (demonstration of doll sliding slid down from the swing) infants slid down in the swings' seats and became tangled in the restraints. (Picture of doll buckled into the seat) As originally manufactured the waist-only straps are buckled in front of the infant (Tray being put down in front of the seat) and the tray is closed to prevent the infant from sliding down the seat. (doll in the swing without restraints and without the tray) A problem can occur if parts are missing, the restraints aren't used, (doll falling out of the seat) or the tray pops off, the infant can become tangled in the strap and strangle.(pictures of swings) In addition to the six deaths, there were 181 reports of infants falling from the swing. In nine falls, infants suffered serious injuries including bone fractures and concussions. Twenty-two infants were caught at the neck or chest.
(Close-up of swing) The notable characteristics of the older recalled swings are a flip-up or removable plastic tray (close-up of waist strap) and a waist strap only. (close-up of swing and adult on the floor with child) If your swing does not have a crotch strap attached to a waist belt and has a flip-up or removable tray, it is part of this recall and you need to contact Graco for your replacement harness kit. Adult looking at kit The kit is free and contains a new restraint system with (close-up of crotch strap) crotch strap and complete instructions. Be sure you follow all replacement instructions in the kit.
(CPSC's Chairman Ann Brown speaking) "Parents put their babies in these swings to help loll them to sleep, but don't use an older Graco swing unless you've installed the new restraint, it will help keep you baby safe. (Swing being taken out of a basement) These infant swings have been around for years, it's likely they've been passed on to friends or relatives with newborns. (Chairman Brown speaking) If you have a second-hand infant swing, check to see if it's a Graco swing and get the new restraint."
Screen reading: "GRACO; www.gracobaby.com; Graco Swing Recall & Free Restraint Kit; Call 1-800-934-9082; Write to: Customer Affairs, Graco Children's Products, Inc. P.O. Box 100, Elverson, PA 19520.) To obtain a restraint kit free of charge, simply call Graco at 1-800-934-9082 (picture on the website which reads: "GRACO; Beginnings that last" on the top, and "www.gracobaby.com" on the bottom) or visit Graco's website at: www.gracobaby.com. (picture on the website which reads in part: "Graco . . . swinging" on the top and "www.gracobaby.com.") Please have your swing available when you call the hotline. (two other pictures of pages on the company website)
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