| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Ken Giles |
| November 27, 1996 |
(301) 504-7052 |
| Release # 97-032 |
|
CPSC Announces Recall of Additional Wooden Bunk Beds
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission CPSC), five bunk bed manufacturers
are recalling approximately 100,000 wooden bunk beds.
The bunk beds have openings on the top bunk that present a
potential entrapment hazard to young children. The spaces can
be large enough for a child's body to pass through, but
small enough to entrap the child's head.
Since November 1994, CPSC and 26 manufacturers have
announced recalls of more han 411,400 wooden bunk beds with
similar entrapment hazards. In response to this action,
the manufacturers participating in this recall have also
identified bunk beds with similar entrapment hazards.
Since 1990, CPSC has received reports of 32 children
who died from becoming caught in bunk beds with similar
spaces in the top bunk. Thirty-one of those children were
ages 3 and under. The most recent death occurred on
September 28, 1996. A 3-year-old boy died from becoming
caught in a bunk bed manufactured by the Bedder Bunk
Company.
The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)
voluntary standard for bunk beds requires that, in addition
to having guardrails on both sides of the top bunk, all
spaces between the guardrail and bed frame, and in the head
and foot boards on the top bunk, should be less than 3.5
inches. Bunk beds currently made by the companies listed
below now meet the spacing requirement of the voluntary
standard. The companies are also providing permanent labels
or placing permanent labels on their bunk beds to warn that
children under the age of 6 be prohibited from the upper
bunk. CPSC and the manufacturers continue to urge parents
and caregivers not to put children under the age of 6 on the
top bunk.
The manufacturers listed below are participating in
this recall to improve the safety of these beds and to meet
the requirements of the voluntary standard. Consumers should
stop using the recalled beds immediately and call the
company or contact the retailer for a replacement guardrail,
retrofit kit, or instructions to help eliminate the
potential entrapment hazard. If consumers are not sure of
the bunk bed manufacturer or have questions about this
recall, they should call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772.
| Company | Models | Dates Distributed | Locations
|
| | | |
| Bedder Bunk Co. | Twin/twin | 1984 -
1992 | Northern California |
| Winlock, WA | | | Oregon |
| Out of
business | | | Washington |
| | | |
| Oakland Wood | Twin/twin | September 1994 - |
California |
| Shop Mfg. | | October
1996 | Oregon |
| Oakland,
CA | | | Washington |
(510) 536-4014
| | | |
| | | |
| P.J. Sleep Shop | Twin/double | 1981 - October
1996 | Portland, OR |
| Portland, OR | | | |
(503)232-5222
| | | |
| | | |
| Stoney Creek | Twin/twin | 1980 - 1993 |
Oregon |
| Redmond, WA | | | Washington |
Out of business
| | | |
| | | |
| Wholesale Importers | 1040 Deluxe | 1984 - March
1996 | California |
| and Exporters | and 1051
Clover | | Oregon |
| Los Angeles,
CA | twin/twin | | Washington |
| (213) 563-3346 | | | |
|
