Cribs recalled

by Karen D. Crowdis

Stork Craft Manufacturing of Richmond, BC has recalled 2.1 million of its drop side cribs due to safety concerns. Cribs were sold across Canada and the United States.

Cribs were sold in various styles and finishes. They were sold under the Stork Craft and Fisher Price brand names. Affected Stork Craft brand cribs were manufactured and distributed from January 1993 until October 2009. Frisher Price models were manufactured between October 1997 and December 2004.

The Hazard

These cribs contain plastic hardware on the drop side panel. The hardware can break or deform. In some cases, the drop-side can be installed upside-down, breaking or disengaging plastic parts. All of these problems can cause the drop-side to detach in one or more corners. This detachment creates space between the drop-side and the crib mattress. Infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space which can lead to suffocation. In the event of full detachment of the drop-side can result in falls from the crib. Health Canada indicates that these products meet current safety standards. However, there have been reported incidents which indicate that the plastic hardware can break.

Canada has recorded three reports of entrapment and eight reports of falls from these cribs. There have also been 32 other reported incidents related to broken plastic drop-side hardware. In the United States, there have been 12 reports of entrapments, including four incidents of suffocation, and 12 reports of falls from these cribs. There have also been 43 other reported incidents related to broken plastic drop-side hardware.

What to Do

Consumers are being advised to carefully check their cribs to ensure no damage exists. Cribs should be inspected before every use. Should you detect a problem, do not use the crib. Find a safe sleeping alternative for your baby. Instead of returning the crib, consumers are asked to contact Stork Craft for repair kits. They can be reached at 1-877-274-0277 or through the Stork Craft website: www.storkcraft.com.

For More information

To see an image of the crib or to get more information, visit the Health Canada website and look under the Consumer Product Safety tab.