Holiday Safety Alert

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2001
Release # 02-045
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Nychelle Fleming, (301) 504-7063

HOLIDAY SAFETY ALERT

CPSC Announces Recall Round-up of Toys and Children's Products

Washington, D.C. - As families gather for the holidays, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers that dangerous children's products may still be in their homes. Grandparents dust off old playpens; older children often share their toys with younger relatives; and keepsakes are stored in old cedar chests. The CPSC wants to prevent these holiday traditions from becoming tragedies. Despite recall notices and public warnings, CPSC has found that many products with the potential to seriously injure or kill are still being used by consumers. CPSC is releasing a list of dangerous children's products- over 23 million product units -- that might still be in people's homes. These are some of the CPSC's largest recalls or consumer alerts involving children's products over the last year. Families should check whether old products have been recalled and place them out of the reach of children. Manufacturers will usually offer a free repair kit or replacement product.

Parents can get the list of recalled products by going to the CPSC website, www.cpsc.gov, or calling toll free, 1-800-638-2772. This list identifies recalled children's products that are off store shelves but may still be lurking in attics, basements, toy boxes or closets.

The CPSC is also providing safety tips (see box) that will help consumers choose appropriate toys this holiday season and year round.

Recalled Children's Products that May Still be in Consumers' Homes

The following tips will help consumers choose appropriate toys:
  • Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills, and interest level of the intended child. Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards to younger children.
  • For infants, toddlers, and all children who still mouth objects, avoid toys with small parts which could pose a fatal choking hazard.
  • Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly secured eyes, noses, and other potential small parts.
  • For all children under age 8, avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.
  • Do not purchase electric toys with heating elements for children under age 8.
  • Be a label reader. Look for labels that give age recommendations and use that information as a guide.
  • Check instructions for clarity. They should be clear to you, and when appropriate, to the child.
  • Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys, which can cause suffocation, before they become deadly playthings.


Toy and Child Product Recall Round-Up: November 21, 2001
This is a selected list of recalled toys and children's products.
Visit CPSC's web site for a complete list of recalls: www.cpsc.gov
CPSC News Release Product and Firm

Problem

Remedy

01-110
3/19/01		 Zapper toys in the shapes of smiley face, globe with glasses, troll, bumble bee, lion, bear, tiger, raspberry face, fish, frog, snake, and lizard.

Imported from China.

Distributed by eight firms: Bonita Marie International Inc. Dillon Importing Co. Oriental Trading Co. Inc. Play By Play Toys & Novelties Inc. Rhode Island Novelty Sherman Specialty Co. Inc. Toy Investment Inc. U.S. Toy Co. Inc.

Sold from October 1998 through March 2001 for about $1 		Small balloon tongues and the cylinders holding the tongues can detach posing a choking hazard.

940,000 units; 1 incident
Throw away toys or take them back to place of purchase for a refund
02-030
10/31/01 		Sassy Rattles with soft sewn-on fabric eyes

Imported from China by Sassy Inc. Northbrook, IL

Sold nationwide from August 1999 through mid-October 2001 for about $5 		The soft Sassy rattles have sewn-on spherical fabric eyes that can detach, posing a choking hazard.

455,000 units; 129 reports of eyes detaching; 1 child started to choke and parent used Heimlich maneuver to remove the eye.
Take rattle away from young children and return to Sassy for free replacement.

(800) 781-1080
02-011
10/10/01 		Little Tikes Swings
"2-in-1 Snug 'n Secure" Model 4117-00

Little Tikes Company Hudson, Ohio

Sold from December 2000 through September 2001 for about $20 		The buckles on the swing can break and the shoulder restraint straps can pull out of the back of the seat, causing young children to fall.

250,000 units; 14 reports of problems; 5 injuries
Contact Little Tikes to receive a free repair kit:

www.littletikes.com
or
(800) 815-4820
00-084
3/30/00 		Lane Cedar Chests "Lane" and "Virginia Maid" chests

Lane Co.
Altavista, VA

Manufactured between 1912 and 1987. 		The cedar chest lids automatically latch shut when closed, posing a suffocation hazard to children. New locks, used since 1987, will prevent entrapments because they do not automatically latch shut.

12 million units; 10 children suffocated inside the chests
Contact Lane to get new free locks (easy to install at home) to prevent entrapments.

www.lanefurniture.com
or
(888) 856-8758
02-009
10/10/01 		Safety 1st Fold-Up Booster Seat models 173, 173A and 173B

Safety 1st
Canton, MA

Sold from January 1994 through August 1999 for about $18 		The top half of the booster seat insert can separate, causing a child to fall and be injured.

1.5 million units; 32 reports where the seat halves separated; 7 injuries
Contact Safety 1st for free repair kit

www.safety1st.com
or
(888) 579-1730
01-137
5/1/01 		Evenflo Joyride Car Seats/Carriers models 203, 205, 210, 435, and 493

Evenflo Co. Inc.
Vandalia, Ohio

Sold from January 1988 through December 1998 		When used as an infant carrier, the handle can unexpectedly release, causing the seat to flip forward and allowing an infant to fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries.

3.4 million units; 240 reports of handles releasing; 97 injuries
Contact Evenflo to get a free repair kit.

www.joyridecarseat.com
or
(800) 557-3178
01-012
10/13/00 		Century Car Seats/Carriers

Century Products
Macedonia, Ohio

Manufactured from January 1991 through July 1997 		When used as an infant carrier, the handle can break, causing an infant to fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries.

4 million units; 2,700 reports of handle-related problems; 200 injuries.
Contact Century (now part of Graco) to get a free easy-to-install replacement handle.

www.gracobaby.com
or
(800) 865-1419
01-094
2/28/01 		Baby Trend Portable Cribs/Play Yards Home and Roam and Baby Express models

Baby Trend Inc.
Ontario, CA

Sold between 1992 and 1994 		These cribs/play yards can collapse and entrap an infant in the V-shape created by the collapsed sides of the crib/play yard. Play yards made since 1997 meet a new safety standard that requires the top rails automatically lock into place when the unit is fully set up.

100,000 units; 5 deaths and 3 reports of babies found not breathing (who were revived)
Contact Baby Trend to get a free new play yard

www.babytrend.com
or
(800) 328-7363

NOTE: CPSC previously announced the recall of several other portable cribs/play yards with rotating top rails that can collapse and entrap a child in the folded top rails. CPSC obtained voluntary recalls of these other play yards, details of which are listed in news release 01-094 at CPSC's web site www.cpsc.gov
02-008
10/10/01 		Cosco Playpens with these names: "Zip n Go," "Okie Dokie," and "Carters"

Dorel Juvenile Group
Columbus, IN

Sold from May 1995 through December 1999 		Plastic tabs on the playpen that lock the rails into the corners can break or loosen over time, allowing the rails to turn inward, collapse, and entrap an infant.

102,000 units; 421 reports of rails not locking; 1 death to a baby whose chest was caught in the V-shape created by the collapsed sides of his playpen.
Contact Dorel Juvenile Group to get a refund or replacement product

www.djgusa.com
or
(800) 314-9327
02-032
10/31/01 		Twister Portable Lamps with Looney Tunes or Disney cartoon characters on the plastic shade.

Imported from China by

Emess Lighting Inc. and SLI Lighting Solutions Inc.
Ellwood City, PA

Sold from January 1997 through June 2001 for about $18 		The lamp's bulb can become hot, presenting a risk of burn injuries and the risk of fire if the bulb touches combustibles.

480,000 units; 5 injuries and 12 reports of property damage
Contact the firm to get a free retrofit kit:

www.twisterlamp.com
or
(800) 366-2579


NOTE: Products listed above may have already been repaired or there may be similar products that do not have the identified problems. For assistance in identifying recalled products, call the manufacturer listed or the CPSC toll-free Hotline at 800-638-2772.

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