Play yard recalled after death of 10-month-old

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today recalled 425,000 Kolcraft infant play yards after receiving a report of the death of a 10-month-old boy who strangled on the changing table’s restraint strap that was hanging down into a “Sesame Beginnings” Travel Play Yard where he was located. The recall involves 12 different  play yards all of which have raised changing tables with a restraint strap that forms a loop beneath the changing table, posing a strangulation hazard to a child in the play yard.

In addition to the strangulation hazard with the changing table restraint strap, one model, the Contours 3-in-1 Play Yard, also has a raised cradle that rocks back and forth. A child can roll and get trapped against the side of the cradle. If that happens, the CPSC warns, a child can suffocate. Kolcraft has received 45 reports of children rolling to the side of the rocking cradle attachment.

The play yards came in a variety of colors and patterns and were sold over the past six years at retail stores nationwide from January 2001 through September 2007 for between $50 and $130. A list of models and model numbers follows. The model number is printed on a white sticker located on one of the feet of the play yard. The play yards were manufactured in China.

Parents and caregivers are advised to stop using the changing tables and rocking cradle immediately and to cut off and remove the existing changing table restraint strap. Kolcraft is offering owners a free non-looped replacement strap for the changing table and a free repair kit to secure the base of the cradle. The kit for the rocking cradle will be sent to consumers separate from the replacement strap. For additional information, call Kolcraft at (888) 655-8484 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.kolcraft.com.

The recalled models include:

Models: Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot, Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot LTD, Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot 3-in-1, Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot 4-in-1
Model numbers: 18730T-BZ, 18730T-HJ, 18734T-DV, 18934-SW, 18934-DV, 18935T-UT, 18935-CH, 18942-EC, 18950-GV, 18950T-GV, 18751-DV, 18951T-GS, 18951T-MO, 18744-BL 

Model: Carter’s Lennon Travelin’ Tot
Model numbers: 18740-UE, 18740T-UE, 18736T-LJ, 18737-LJ, 18737T-LJ 

Model: “Sesame Beginnings” by Kolcraft Travel Play Yard
Model numbers: 22361-VT, SP001-SBK 

Models: Jeep Sahara SE Play Yard, Jeep Sahara Limited Play Yard, Jeep Sahara XT Play Yard, Jeep Sahara Limited SE Play Yard, Jeep Sahara Limited XT Play Yard
Model numbers: 55235-JC, 55237-JQ, 55237T-JQ, 55237-XC, 55237-XV, 55237T-XB, 55770-XA, 55770-XI, 55772-XE, 55773-XY, JP002-XSP 

Model: Contours 3-in-1 Play Yard (with rocking cradle and changing table restraint strap)
Model numbers: 18604-OC, ZP003-MAL

Two of the models in the recall, the Jeep Sahara Limited XT and the Contours 3-in-1 Travel, were rated by Consumer Reports and featured in the Best Baby Products book.

Our advice: If your play yard includes a changing table, cradle or bassinet, remove it before placing a child in the play yard.  The CPSC is currently determining if these hazards could affect other brands and models of play yards beyond Kolcraft.  If the changing table for your play yard has a strap that can form into a loop under the table we recommend that you not use the changing table and contact the manufacturer about the problem.

More toys and jewelry recalled due to lead

The Consumer Product Safety Commission today recalled two types of children's jewelry, a puppet theater and four groups of toys, including more Thomas and Friends railway cars and accessories because the items contain lead. Consumers are advised to stop using the playthings immediately and remove them from children. The action follows a spate of recalls of toys and jewelry this summer and safety experts caution that more are to come. Items from six of the recalls were made in China and items from the seventh, Target's toy gardening tools and lawn chairs, were made in Taiwan. The importer/distributor of the Thomas toys, RC2 Corp., of Oak Brook, Ill., also had a smaller recall of toy knights. The maker of a pendant necklace, Rhode Island Novelty, of Cumberland, R.I., has been involved in earlier jewelry recalls. The second jewelry recall, by TOBY N.Y.C., expands a recall made last month. In all, more than 601,000 items were recalled. No injuries have been reported. Details on today's recalls follow. Click the title links for photos and refund information.

Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway Toys
How many: About 200,000 (1.5 million other Thomas and Friends railway toys were recalled on June 13.)
Description: This recall involves an all-black cargo car,  a "Toad" vehicle, an olive green "Sodor" cargo box and all-green maple tree top and signal base accessories.
Reason: Surface paints on the toys can contain excessive levels of lead.
Sold at: Toy stores and various retailers nationwide from March 2003 through September 2007 for between $10 and $40.
Importer/Distributor: RC2 Corp., of Oak Brook, Ill.
Contact information: For additional information, contact RC2 toll-free at (866) 725-4407 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at http://recalls.rc2.com

Britain’s “Knights of the Sword” Series Toys
How many: About 800
Description: The three recalled silver knight toys are mounted on red horses and sold individually in see-through blister cards. “Britain's” and “Knights of the Sword” are printed on the top of the card in the packaging. The recalled toys include a mounted silver knight with an ax; a mounted silver knight with two hands on a raised weapon; and a mounted silver knight with a lance.
Reason: Surface paints on the toy knights contain excessive levels of lead.
Sold at: Specialty toy stores nationwide from April 2004 through March 2006 for about $8.
Importer/Distributor: RC2 Corp., of Oak Brook, Ill.
Contact information: For additional information, contact RC2 toll-free at (866) 725-4407 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at http://recalls.rc2.com

Happy Giddy Gardening Tools and Children’s Sunny Patch Chairs
How many: About 350,000
Description: The multi-colored children’s Sunny Patch chairs have a giraffe, monkey, and elephant on the back. The multi-colored Giddy Gardening tools include rakes, hoes, trowels and brooms with flowers or faces on the handles.
Reason: The surface paint on the recalled gardening tools and chairs contains excessive levels of lead.
Sold at: Target stores nationwide from August 2006 through August 2007 for between $3 and $10.
Importer: Target, of Minneapolis, Minn.
Contact information: For additional information, contact Target at (800) 440-0680 between 7 a.m. and 6 pm. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.target.com

Floor Puppet Theaters
How many: About 10,000
Description: The recalled puppet theater has a chalkboard surface on the front and colored side panels. The puppet theater is 35 inches long, 14 inches wide and  52 inches high.
Reason: Surface paints on the wooden panels contain excessive levels of lead.
Sold at: Specialty toy stores, gift shops, catalogs and Web sites nationwide from June 2006 through August 2007 for about $90.
Manufacturer: Guidecraft Inc., of Englewood, N.J.
Contact information: For additional information, contact Guidecraft toll-free at (888) 824-1308 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.guidecraft.com

UPDATE: On October 17, Guidecraft recalled  5,400 table-top puppet theaters, also because of lead in surface paint. The smaller theaters were sold in the same time period for $35.

Children’s Spinning Wheel-Metal Necklaces
How many: About 850
Description: A 30-inch-long link necklace with a spinning wheel pendant. The wheel pendant, designed to resemble a car’s spinning tire rim, has rhinestones attached to the front, a silver base and measures 2 ¾-inches in diameter. The item has a clear plastic hang tag with a UPC code of 0 97138 68502 5.
Reason: The clasp on the necklace contains high levels of lead.
Sold at: Family entertainment centers, redemption centers, and small discount stores nationwide and at www.rinovelty.com from November 2006 through May 2007 for about $2.
Manufacturer: Rhode Island Novelty, of Cumberland, R.I.
Contact information: For additional information, contact Rhode Island Novelty at (800) 528-5599 between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.rinovelty.com

TOBY & ME Jewelry Sets
How many: About 23,500 (about 14,000 jewelry sets were recalled on August 22, 2007)
Description: The three jewelry sets include: a princess pink and clear crystal bead necklace and bracelet set with a painted metallic crown pendant; a pink and white pearl necklace and bracelet set with a painted metallic poodle pendant; and a pink pearl necklace, earrings and ring set. All sets are sold in a pink gift box with “TOBY & ME” printed on the front and “TOBY & ME” hangtags attached to the packaging.
Reason: The metal jewelry sets contain high levels of lead.
Sold at: T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and A.J.Wright from August 2006 through May 2007 for about $8.
Importer: TOBY N.Y.C., of New York, N.Y.
Contact information: For additional information, contact TOBY N.Y.C. toll-free at (866) 235-0588 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or email the firm at info@tobynyc.com.

Children’s Toy Rake
How many: About 16,000
Description: The children’s rake has a green handle with a yellow duck head attached. The rake has seven purple tines, also known as teeth andis about 24 inches long. “Robbie Ducky Garden Collection Rake” is printed on a tag attached to the handle.
Reason: Surface paint on the handle of the rake can contain excessive levels of lead.
Sold at: Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores nationwide from January 2007 through September 2007 for about $7.
Importer: Jo-Ann Stores Inc., of Hudson, Ohio
Contact information: For additional information, contact Jo-Ann Stores Inc. toll-free at (888) 739-4120, option 7, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email the firm at guest.services@jo-annstores.com, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.joann.com.

Accidental deaths, a silent epidemic

Here’s a scary fact: Every five minutes, a person dies from an accident. The National Safety Council calls accidental deaths “a silent epidemic,” rising at an alarming rate -- more than 20 percent over 10 years -- reaching 113,000 fatalities in 2005, the latest data available.

According to a recent safety council study, accidental deaths are the fifth leading cause of death but the number of accidental fatalities is rising at a faster rate than the top four causes of death: heart disease, cancer, stroke and chronic lower respiratory disease. Accidental deaths reached an all-time high of 116,385 in 1969. At the current rate of increase, annual fatalities could surpass that record in just a few years, the safety council says.

Driving the increase is the aging population, which translates into more falls and more medication, leading to accidental overdoses, the council says. The safety council also pins some of the blame on new technology that distracts drivers. Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of injury-related deaths, although they have dropped significantly from the record high of 56,278 in 1982 to 42,642 in 2006.

The second leading cause of accidental death is poisoning, particularly from overdoses of over-the-counter, prescription and illicit drugs. In fact, poisoning is the fastest-rising cause of accidental death, with a  5 percent increase in 2005 alone. Deaths from falls rank third, with choking and drowning rounding out the top five. These five leading causes account for 83 percent of all accidental deaths. But while drowning was the fifth-leading cause nationally, many states ranked fire as the fifth-leading cause of accidental death.

There is some good news from the safety council’s report. The death rate from workplace injuries has dropped by 17 percent since 1992. On the other hand, the death rate from injuries incurred at home and in community settings has increased by 30 percent for that same time period.

Accidents also accounted for more than 24 million nonfatal injuries in 2005. The economic cost of all fatal and nonfatal injuries amounted to $625.5 billion nationally, or $5,500 per household. “Our research shows that when it comes to safety, most Americans are more concerned about being the victim of a random act of violence than they are about being seriously injured in an accident,” said NSC President and CEO Alan McMillan. “The reality is that while we are at greater risk of experiencing an accidental injury, we have greater control over managing those risks.”
   
It goes without saying—be careful.

More information
For a state-by-state accident report visit the National Safety Council site.

One million Simplicity cribs recalled after reported deaths

One million Simplicity cribs, some carrying the Graco logo, were recalled today because of a design flaw that led to at least two deaths, seven infant entrapments, and 55 other reported incidents according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Although the cribs were made in China, the problem is not a manufacturing issue, said CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson. “It’s a design, directions and hardware problem,” he said. “The CPSC is very concerned about the guidance for parents and caregivers about how to assemble the crib as well as the impact of what occurred because of the poor hardware ... and how it put the lives of children at risk,” he added. CPSC is warning parents and caregivers to check all Simplicity cribs to make sure the drop-side is installed correctly.

For details and photos, check CPSC’s recall notice as well as www.simplicityforchildren.com. If the drop-side is installed upside down or not securely attached, consumers should stop using the crib immediately, the CPSC said. Owners of these cribs should contact Simplicity via its Web site or call 888-593-9274 to receive a retrofit package to address the problem.

The problem: the drop-side of the crib can detach and create a dangerous gap, leading to entrapment and suffocation. The drop-side failures result from both the hardware and crib design, which allows consumers to unintentionally install the drop-side upside down. This, in turn, can weaken the hardware and cause the drop-side to detach from the crib. Part of the problem stems from incorrect installation, the CPSC said, but it added it is also aware of two incidents in which the drop-side was correctly installed with older style hardware. Simplicity president Ken Waldman said the company phased in newer hardware over the past two-and-a-half years.

The CPSC said it knows of two deaths in Simplicity-manufactured cribs with older style hardware, including a 9-month-old child and a 6-month-old child, where the drop-side was installed upside down. The agency is also investigating the death of a 1-year-old in a Simplicity crib with newer hardware in which the drop-side was installed upside down.

The cribs were sold in department stores, children stores, and mass merchants from Jan 1998 through May 2007 for about $100 to $300. The models include Aspen 3 in 1, which was subject to a previous recall in 2005 because screws on the wooden mattress support could come loose allowing a portion of the mattress to fall, and pose a suffocation hazard to young children. The CPSC knows of one death from that problem, which occurred after the recall: a 19-month-old baby died after two of the mattress support slats came out of his recalled crib. He became entrapped between the mattress and the footboard of the crib and suffocated. And earlier this year, Simplicity recalled 40,000 of its Nursery-in-a-box cribs, which is also in today's recall, because of problems with poor instructions and installation of the drop-side.

Wolfson said the CPSC learned of the latest problems through various sources, including its own investigations. He added that the agency now has an open and active investigation into one of the deaths as well as other actions associated with the company. Wolfson said he could not release details about the deaths at this time—such as when they occurred—because the agency, by law, must receive company approval to release that information.

Waldman, in an interview, said he didn’t know when the deaths occurred and a company spokesman said the company would not release more details about the fatalities out of respect for the families.

The recalled Simplicity crib models include: Aspen 3 in 1, Aspen 4 in 1, Nursery-in-a-Box, Crib N Changer Combo, Chelsea and Pooh 4 in 1. The recall also involves the following Simplicity cribs that used the Graco logo: Aspen 3 in 1, Ultra 3 in 1, Ultra 4 in1, Ultra 5 in 1, Whitney and the Trio. The recalled cribs have one of the following model numbers, which can be found on the envelope attached to the mattress support and on the label attached to the headboard: 4600, 4605, 4705, 5000, 8000, 8324, 8800, 8740, 8910, 8994, 8050, 8750, 8760, and 8996.

Parents should check to see if they own one of the recalled cribs. And Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, recommends that owners of any crib currently in use make sure that it is assembled properly, re-secure the hardware every few months and, for the safety of the baby, take everything out of the crib including stuffed animals and bumpers.

Traffic fatality rates falling--except for motorcycles

There’s some pretty good news in the latest traffic death numbers recently issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: The number of people who died on the nation’s roads fell last year to the lowest highway fatality rate ever recorded--1.42 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. By comparison, the fatality rate was 1.69 in 1996, 2.51 in 1986 and 3.25 in 1976.

The number of deaths recorded in 2006 was 42,642. That was 868 fewer and 2 percent below 2005 numbers, representing the largest decline in total deaths in 15 years.  Injuries were also down, dropping by 6.2 percent for passenger cars and by 15 percent for large trucks.

But here’s the bad news: Counter to the overall positive trend, motorcycle deaths rose 5.1 percent in 2006, the ninth consecutive annual increase. Motorcycle rider fatalities now account for 11 percent of total  traffic-related fatalities and in 2006 exceeded  the number of pedestrian fatalities for the first time since NTHSA began collecting fatal motor crash data in 1975.

Also troubling: Alcohol-related fatalities rose slightly over 2005.

Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters attributed the decline in overall fatalities to tough safety requirements and new technologies that have helped make vehicles safer and roads less deadly. However, she noted, “proper training, clothing, gear and above all, helmet use are essential” to reversing the deadly trend for motorcycle riders.

As Jeff Bartlett writes on the Consumer Reports Car Blog, "Certain bike types may invite dangerous behavior, but ultimately it is the driver that takes the risks.  Whatever is your vehicle of choice, obey the law and drive responsibly for all our sakes."

Elevated blood mercury levels found in those who eat more fish

What do fish, fluorescent light bulbs and coal-fired power plants have in common? The answer is mercury – the toxic heavy metal that’s been linked to neurological and developmental disorders in children, and cardiovascular disease, neurological and other problems in adults.

Consumer Reports has long analyzed mercury levels in fish to provide consumers with the best advice for avoiding  species of fish with  high levels of the heavy metal. A new study of mercury exposure in New York City  confirms the importance of making wise choices.

The New York City Health Department recently analyzed blood samples for mercury and other heavy metals and found significantly higher levels in people who ate more fish. Levels were also notably higher among wealthy New Yorkers, presumably those who eat more expensive fish such as that found in sushi.

A non-profit environmental group known as the Turtle Island Restoration Network, also analyzed samples of tuna purchased from New York City sushi restaurants, finding nearly half of the 13 samples analyzed contained levels of mercury that exceeded the levels that the FDA considers safe for some women and young children. Some samples even exceeded 1.0 ppm, the level that FDA considers unsafe for human consumption.

Fish is an important part of a healthy diet, but studies suggest that frequently eating species with high mercury levels may interfere with the health benefits that the omega fatty acids found in fish would otherwise provide. Avoiding high mercury fish is especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women, those who may become pregnant and young children.

When we look at how mercury gets into fish in the first place, we find that protecting the safety of our fish supply depends on manufacturers and consumers making wise decisions about other products as well, not just which fish to eat. Mercury doesn’t just float into the fish supply by itself. It gets there in large measure from manufacturing processes and from use and disposal practices that have pumped mercury into the air and water for centuries.

Mercury has been used in a wide range of products including dental fillings, electrical switches, thermometers and batteries. Mining metals and the burning of fossil fuels, primarily coal, are among the greatest causes of mercury releases in the environment. Disposal of mercury-bearing consumer products also releases a substantial amount of mercury. While there’s little that can be done to clear the oceans and fish stocks of mercury that’s already out there, cutting back on energy consumption, finding alternative energy sources, and getting mercury out of consumer products are all important ways to help keep the problem from getting much worse.

Ironically, careful use of a modern product that contains trace amounts of mercury, the compact fluorescent bulb, is one strategy for achieving net reductions in environmental mercury releases. As our recent story on compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) explains, the trace amount of mercury present in these long-lasting energy-saving bulbs is an unfortunate but worthwhile trade-off to cut energy use that contributes to the much larger amounts of environmental mercury that come from coal-fired power plants.

Because health officials have not been able to identify a level of mercury exposure that’s safe, it’s especially important to keep as much mercury out of the environment as possible and to lower your own exposure to mercury. That means limiting or eliminating your intake of high mercury fish species, reducing energy consumption and avoiding or carefully managing mercury-bearing products as they are used and discarded. For CFLs, that means careful clean-up if they break and recycling them when they reach the end of their useful life. Sylvania, for example, sells a mail-back recycling package.

Toy retailers respond to safety issues

Recent toy safety problems have predictably put toy retailers on edge. Understandably, they’re concerned that the loss of consumer confidence in the safety of toys will result in a significant downturn in sales, particularly as the holiday season approaches. But some retailers are stepping up to the plate in trying to regain consumer confidence.

At a Senate hearing last week, Toys “R” Us Chairman and CEO Gerald Storch testified on what his company is doing to help ensure that the products they sell are safe. One step: more independent testing, including spot checks on products already on their shelves to make sure they meet standards. Disney and Wal-Mart are also reportedly ramping up their testing. We wonder why this independent testing wasn’t already a part of these retailers’ protocols.

Storch described the measures that Toys “R” Us takes when recalls occur. According to his testimony, the company programs its registers to block the sale of recalled products. Recalled items are immediately removed from the sales floor, the stockroom, web site listings, and distribution centers.  Store managers are required to post recall notices on store bulletin boards.  Notices are also posted on the retailer’s web site. In addition, customers who’ve purchased recalled toys through the Toys “R” Us web sites are sent a bilingual e-mail notice informing them of the recall. We think that all retailers should take these measures when consumer safety is at risk.

Toys “R” Us also states it has also implemented a system to help customers return recalled products. Regardless of where the toy was purchased, Toys “R” Us will take it back under a “no quibble” policy. That sure beats the Mattel recall process, which involves contacting the company and returning the toy by mail to receive a voucher to buy another Mattel toy.  Of course, the Toys “R” Us “no quibble” policy gives them the opportunity to turn an unsafe product return into a new sale. Also, the retailer doesn’t bear the cost of the return since that’s charged back to the manufacturer of the recalled product.

Storch also testified that Toys “R” Us supports federal legislation that would shorten the allowable time frame for companies to report a safety problem to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It also supports increasing the penalties for noncompliance with CPSC rules – and endorses requiring production codes stamped on products and packaging to make it easier for retailers and consumers to identify recalled items.

It appears that Toys “R” Us is taking increasing responsibility for ensuring the safety of the products they sell, but we will be watching to see the results. We also urge other retailers to take notice and put similar measures in place. If the CPSC had the power to hold retailers more accountable for selling products that don’t comply with safety standards, you could be assured that retailers would become more diligent in testing products before stocking them on store shelves.

NHTSA accelerates new car safety rule

With so much attention recently being given to toy safety, an important new rule by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not received the attention it deserves and warrants a closer look. Earlier this month, the car-safety regulator announced new standards requiring car makers, for the first time ever, to provide head protection in side-impact crashes.

NHTSA does so by expanding its current safety tests that in essence require vehicles to be built to protect people in side collisions with other vehicles. Now, NHTSA will also require tests to protect people in more severe side collisions. NHTSA will add a pole test that simulates a vehicle sliding sideways and hitting a tree or a utility pole. This is a severe test as it concentrates most of the load on one spot. Additionally, NHTSA will now require more than just average-size male dummies to be used in gathering crash-test data. The agency is also mandating petite female dummies because crash data indicate that 34 percent of all serious and fatal injuries to near-side occupants in side impacts occurred to occupants 5 feet 4 inches or less.

NHTSA says side-impact crashes account for 28 percent all fatalities, of which the majority involve a brain injury. The agency says its new requirements, which will be phased in beginning in 2009 and in all model-year vehicles by 2013, will save more than 300 lives a year and prevent nearly 400 serious injuries.

NHTSA’s new standards don’t specify the kind of technology automakers must use, although it’s likely that car makers will continue to use some form of side-curtain airbags and air bags protecting the chest and abdomen to meet the standard.  Some car makers began installing side air bags in 1997 and the car industry said that head-protecting side air bags were available in 84 percent of all 2006 model year vehicles. A voluntary industry agreement in 2003 calls for all 2009 model year vehicles to provide enhanced head protection in side impact crashes involving cars and trucks.

Based on this voluntary agreement, NHTSA estimates that the cost of the new rules will  increase the cost of the average vehicle by $33.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety currently uses a more stringent side-impact crash test than NHTSA, representing a 3,300-lb SUV or light truck. The Institute also uses dummies that represent a small adult female or a 12-year-old adolescent in that test.

Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, welcomes NHTSA's long overdue upgrade of the side test. It will complement the IIHS's test and ultimately serve consumers better since  manufacturers are more likely to engineer cars to perform well over a range of conditions.

More information
To learn more about car safety, read “Crash Test 101.”
To see how your car performs in IIHS tests, view crash test videos.
Read more about cars in our Cars Blog.

Will all the talk on product safety lead to action?

There’s lots of ceremony and testimony in Washington this week about product safety. We’re glad to see all this attention on what we obviously consider a very important issue although we have to admit we wish the recent toy recalls weren’t the cause for much of the current concern.

We’ll be even happier if all this talk leads to action and substantial changes to the way the government and industry oversee the safety of the products sold in the U.S. But so far, we have some reservations about what we’ve seen this week.

For example, the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety, set up in June by President Bush after a series of food and toy recalls, issued a report early this week acknowledging that the recent recalls highlight the need for updated oversight of imported goods. The group made some general suggestions about creating a new strategic framework to monitor imports; more specifics are promised to be announced in November. We applaud this start but here’s what we’d really like to see:

• Increased inspectors at the borders. The Food and Drug Administration inspects only about one percent of the seafood and produce entering the country; the Consumer Product Safety Commission has only 15 border inspectors for the millions of consumer products it oversees.
• A requirement of independent third-party certification for imported products to make sure these goods meet U.S. standards.
• Recall authority for agencies that currently lack it, particularly the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The action continued on Tuesday when in a joint press conference, China announced its agreement with the CPSC to eliminate the use of lead paint on toys exported to the U.S. 

Huh? 

Lead paint on toys has been banned in the U.S. since 1978.  China’s agreement to recognize U.S. regulations is long overdue and should have already been in practice by Chinese manufacturers making toys for the American market. 

But that's not all. On Wednesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, responsible for appropriations to the CPSC, held a hearing to examine toy safety and the staffing and budgetary needs of the under-funded Commission.  Acting CPSC Commissioner Nancy Nord was grilled by Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) about the agency's actions in response to the many recent toy recalls.  In addition to Senate members and industry representatives, Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports also testified.  A full version of the testimony, in PDF form, can be found on CU's web site.

More on the Senate hearing
Writing in The Washington Post, columnist Dana Milbank  offers an interesting account of the Senate hearing including the fact that one of the CPSC's two commissioners, Thomas Moore, left the session to go to the dentist.

NPR's report on All Things Considered also captured some of the action.

Putting the cart before shopping safety

Anyone who has taken a small child to a grocery or big box store quickly discovers the challenges of safely negotiating the aisles with a shopping cart. Typically kids want to slip their restraints, sit or stand in the main part of the cart, hitch a ride on the outside or push their younger sibling through the store. Doing any of those things can lead to a fall and a visit to the emergency room.

The latest emergency-room data underscore the fact that shopping carts can be hazardous to children younger than five. In each of the three years from 2003 through 2005, there were 19,500 shopping cart-related injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. More than 80 percent of the injuries were caused by falls from the carts, according to data prepared for the voluntary standard-setting organization ASTM International, and more than 40 percent of the injuries could be judged as potentially serious. Injuries to the head and neck, including concussions, internal injuries and fractures were the most common.

The number of injuries hasn't decreased since 1999, though the latest data are too recent to reflect the voluntary standards that were adopted in 2004. Those standards, designed to cover children between six months and 4 years old, and weighing up to 35 pounds, require adjustable child restraint straps in the child-seating area plus warnings about the dangers of falling out. The voluntary standards also call on retailers to regularly inspect and maintain their carts to make sure they are in compliance.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has called for even stricter standards, particularly to reduce the risk of cart tipovers.  Gary Smith, M.D., who is chairperson of the AAP committee on injury, violence, and poison prevention and director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, believes carts should be redesigned to put children lower to the ground. That would make them less susceptible to falls as well as serious injuries if falls occur, he said.

But Paul Giampavolo, chairman of the ASTM subcommittee that wrote the standards, says that the data show that tipovers account for only six percent of the injuries, relatively small when compared to the falls that the voluntary standard seeks to address.

We’re not here to take sides in this debate. But we are here to remind parents and caregivers to be careful when putting an infant or a small child in a shopping cart.

To reduce shopping cart injuries, AAP has called on  parents to leave their children at home with another adult or stay at home and shop online. That may not be realistic.  So here’s our advice: If you do bring your child to the store, always use the cart's seatbelt and never leave a child alone in the cart. Heed the weight limit warning on the cart itself -- and don’t allow children to ride in the basket or on the outside of the cart. Also, don't allow your children to reach for items as they pass by; that could make the cart tip.

For infants, some stores now feature carts with the infant seats built in. This is a better option than placing your own infant car seat/carrier into the smaller top compartment of shopping carts; most manufacturers warn against this practice.  It's better to place the car seat/carrier in the large compartment, but we realize that leaves little room for groceries.  A more practical solution for bringing an infant shopping is to wear a soft frontal infant carrier such as the Baby Bjorn Active, or a backpack such as the Snugli Cross Country by Evenflo.  For more on these options see our reports on soft infant carriers and backpack carriers.

Lead-tainted jewelry recalls cataloged by Consumer Reports

Since 2003, nearly 170 million pieces of children's jewelry have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission because the items contain high levels of lead.  There have been more than 40 recalls during that time period and new recalls are announced every few weeks. Collectively, lead-laden jewelry has amounted to the largest product recall in CPSC history. 

Most of the recalled jewelry involves necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and other baubles that were purchased in vending machines or in discount and dollar stores –- places where recall notices are not generally seen.  Since the recall notices are hard to find, we think few parents are aware of the dangers lurking in their children’s jewelry boxes.

Lead is sometimes used as a low cost way of giving jewelry heft or added to paint coating the jewelry.  Lead-based jewelry is often covered by a thin coating of shiny material.  But if children mouth the jewelry, as we’ve seen many children do, they can ingest some of the lead, increasing their blood lead levels over time. Children are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead, which have been linked to brain damage, and developmental and learning disorders.  Worse, if they swallow the jewelry, they can suffer acute lead poisoning, which can be fatal.  Such was the fate of a 4-year-old Minneapolis child who died last year after swallowing a small piece of a Reebok charm bracelet that was later found to contain 99 percent lead.

We have supported a proposed rulemaking by the CPSC to effectively ban lead in jewelry and urged the agency to further strengthen limits on lead in other consumer products.  Until such rules are passed and enforced, we recommend that you not buy toy jewelry made of metal for your children.  If you do have toy jewelry, particularly if it appears metallic, check to see if it has been recalled.

We are making that task easier with a new online tool. To identify the tainted items, we are featuring a photo gallery  of pieces of children's jewelry recalled by the CPSC since the fall of 2003 (some of which was sold much earlier) with information on where and when it was sold and with links to the original recall notices.  If you recognize any of the pieces in our photo gallery take the item away from your child immediately. Then click on the recall notice and take the appropriate action.

Toy makers respond to consumers' crisis of confidence

After a summer of disturbing toy recalls and a fall that already promises to be full of Congressional hearings into product-safety, the toy industry is taking its own steps to reassure the public that children's playthings are safe.

The trade group that represents the nation's largest toymakers, the Toy Industry Association, this week asked the federal government to require safety testing and inspection for all toys sold in the U.S. The TIA also wants to develop a standardized process to be used industry-wide to verify that products comply with U.S. safety standards. The association, in an announcement issued earlier this week, said it is working with the nonprofit voluntary standards group American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop such a process as well as uniform standards to confirm and certify the testing laboratories that will be conducting the prescribed testing.

The toy association's announcement came the same week of another major toy recall--Mattel's third this summer, this one involving a total of 844,000 toys for lead paint--and an announcement that Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill). will hold hearings next week on toy safety. Witnesses include the leaders of Mattel and Toys 'R' Us, plus representatives of the toy association and the chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, will also testify. Durbin has also asked a representative of the Chinese government to testify about the problems of products imported from his country. All recent recalls have been for toys made in China.

Meanwhile, the House Energy and Commerce consumer protection subcommittee also plans to hold hearings on Sept. 19 to discuss lead-laden toys imported from China.

The call for federally mandated safety testing and inspections is a big change for the toy association. TIA president Carter Keithley said that the industry remains "quite confident about safety of toys in America."  But, he said, the recent rash of recalls due to lead paint suggest "there must be some sort of slippage in the inspection system" of toys sold in the U.S. The recalls suggest "we need to take some measures to tighten up the safety of the system," Keithley added.  He noted that the association isn't calling for new mandatory safety standards for toys--simply a federal requirement that toys be inspected and tested by a third party, independent and certified lab.

"It's not a question of more testing, but smarter testing," said Frederick B. Locker, a lawyer for TIA. "We have to accredit the labs to make sure all the labs do all the proper testing whether in hinterlands of China or in the U.S.," Locker said. And, he added, the only way to have that testing done across the board is to have it federally mandated. That's the way, he said, "to level that playing field."

The Consumer Product Safety Commission supports the industry's proposal to have third party independent certified labs test toys. Congress would have to enact a law, however, to require safety testing and inspection of all toys. "If Congress instructs the agency to do it, the agency will follow those instructions," said CPSC spokeswoman Julie Vallese. But, she added, Congress also "would need to take into consideration providing the resources to carry it out."

Indeed, funding is an important issue for the CPSC which has seen its budget and staff shrink considerably over the past few years.  TIA's Locker said the association was behind funding more money to the CPSC "100 percent."

Consumers Union supports the mandatory testing proposal. But we must make this cautionary statement: It will only be effective if the government has enough funds and staff to ensure that they test and spot-check imports frequently to make sure they meet safety standards. We also think toys should be safety certified and carry a certification mark--such as the UL mark that's found on most electrical products or the USDA mark found on beef. European toys already are required to be tested and carry such certification symbols. It's time for the U.S. to  catch up.

Learn more

Read more about this issue on the U.S. PIRG's consumer blog.

Two more child safety seat recalls

Two weeks ago, we reported the recall of 121,109 Britax Decathlon child safety seats.  Today, we have two new recalls to report. The first is a large recall involving several different models made by Dorel Juvenile Group--nearly 1.3 million total. The second recall is of 276,921 Graco Comfortsport 5-point harness convertible seats.

The Dorel recall involves Cosco, Eddie Bauer and Safety 1st car seats (see the list below for specific models) made between November 2003 and December 2005. The models in question are being recalled because the harness adjustment strap can loosen while in use.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “in the event of a crash, the child may not be properly restrained, possibly resulting in an increased risk of injury.”

Dorel says that it has received reports of center front adjusters slipping on other models, but the complaint rate is higher on the models being recalled. Dorel suggested several reasons for that, including the fact that the recalled models are convertible and can be used in the infant rear-facing mode. That may put different stresses on the center front adjusters, Dorel told NHTSA. Additionally, the company said, on a limited number of center front adjusters, the gripping teeth were damaged in the manufacturing process. “While this damage should not, standing alone, allow slippage, it may make it more likely," Dorel said.

Additionally, the company said slippage is more likely when there is a lot of dirt, food and/or sticky gummy liquid residue on the strap. That’s one reason why the company is including a cleaning brush and cleaning instructions in its remedy kit for the recalled car safety seats.

Dorel will contact all registered owners and provide them with information on how to obtain a free repair kit to replace the harness adjustment strap. Those consumers who have not registered their product should visit www.djgusa.com or call 800-219-0509 to order a free repair kit. Until the kit is installed, parents should be sure to adjust the harness adjuster strap snugly each time they put their child in the child restraint and if they have difficulty adjusting the strap or if it won’t stay tight, Dorel suggests using a different child seat until the repair kit has been installed.

The specific models are:

•     Cosco: Alpha Omega, Alpha Omega Elite: 22150, 22155, 22180, 22269
•     Eddie Bauer: 3-in-1, Deluxe 3-in-1, Deluxe Convertible: 22740, 22750, 22755, 22756, 22757, 22770
•      Safety 1st : Alpha Elite, Alpha Omega, Alpha Omega Elite, Intera, Enspira: 22151, 22450, 22451, 22452, 22453, 22455, 22460, 22480, 22481

Even if you don’t have these models, you should take this recall as good advice—and be vigilant about keeping the straps of your car seat clean.

Graco Comfortsport recall

The Graco recall involves certain Graco Comfortsport 5-point harness convertible (rear/forward facing) child restraints manufactured from January 2 through July 31, 2007. The model numbers are: 8629TWL, 8631DFT, 8631DRA, 8632PSO, 8635TAC, 8639COS, 8C00BLG, 8C00DMN, 8C00GRP, 8C00LNW, 8C00MID, 8C00TMB, 8C01SVD, 8C01WTN, 8C02MGI, 8C02MRC, 8C03HAL, 8C03WCF, 8C04FRR, 8433FOF, and 8630MTR.

During production, the LATCH lower anchorage belt in some of these child restraint systems was incorrectly routed. As a result, when these child restraint systems are used in the rear-facing mode, attached with the lower anchorage belt, they fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standards because the seat back angle of the child restraint can exceed 70 degrees in a frontal crash. This increased rotation may increase the risk of injury to the child.

Consumers should not use the seat in the rear-facing position with LATCH until the belt routing has been inspected and, if necessary, corrected. The vehicle seatbelt can be used instead of LATCH in the meantime. However, consumers who have rerouted their lower anchorage belt according to the instruction manual for use in the forward-facing mode are not affected by the safety notice.

Graco will notify registered owners and provide detailed instructions for examining the lower anchorage belt routing and, if necessary, reconfiguring the incorrectly routed belt. Owners can contact Graco at 800-345-4109. Parents who did not mail in their registration card are advised to call the company or visit its web site for further information including visual aids.

Graco indicates that if you are unsure of the routing instructions, or until you can make the change, that seats can be used in the rear-facing mode when installed using the vehicle seatbelt instead of LATCH.

Graco also notes that the recall does not affect seats being used in the forward-facing mode as the belt routing would have already been changed by the consumer following the instruction manual.

NOTE: Consumer Reports featured the Cosco Alpha Omega Elite #22155 in an earlier report.

 

Mattel issues third recall of lead-tainted toys

Mattel has announced another batch of recalls--the third time in less than five weeks that the company has had to pull toys from stores because they contain excessive levels of lead paint.

This worldwide recall  involves 11 different toys, including eight pet and furniture playsets sold under the Barbie brand and three Fisher-Price toys --  two GeoTrax toys and a Big, Big World bongo set. No Barbie dolls are affected. A total of 844,000 toys are involved, about two-thirds of which were sold in the U.S.  The toys were all made in China by several different vendors.

The recalls, made in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, are not surprising. When the company recalled over 9 million toys in mid-August, company chairman Robert Eckert predicted more action could be forthcoming as the company continued its testing of thousands of toys. In a statement announcing the latest recall, Mattel said it had spent more than 50,000 hours investigating its vendors and testing its toys. As a result, it added, several subcontractors are no longer making Mattel toys.

The CPSC said consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Mattel about how to receive a free replacement toy. Details on the recalled toys and the replacement program can be found at www.service.mattel.com. Consumers can also call 888-496-8330.

In addition, concerned parents  and caregivers  should check our five steps to assure their children's exposure to lead is minimal. Lead poisoning has been linked to developmental and learning disorders.

In the U.S., there are seven recalled Barbie toys that were sold at retail stores nationwide from October 2006 through August 2007 for about $10. The specific items and affected parts include:
• Dream Puppy House – orange paint on miniature dog
• Dream Kitty Condo – brown paint on miniature cat
• Table and Chairs Kitchen Playset – yellow paint on two dinner plates, brown paint on miniature dog, yellow and orange paint on potato chip bowl, orange paint on salad bowl
• Bathtub and Toilet Playset – brown paint on miniature cat
• Desk and Chair Bedroom Playset – brown paint on miniature dog
• Living Room Playset (deluxe) – brown paint on miniature cat
• Living Room Playset (premium) – yellow paint on purse

The two GeoTrax made by Fisher-Price were sold at retail stores nationwide from September 2006 through August 2007 for between $3 and $16 and include:
• GEOTRAX Rail and Road System Freightway Transport – painted yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
• GEOTRAX Special Track Pack – painted yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder

A third Fisher-Price toy,  Big, Big World bongo set, sold at retail stores nationwide from July 2007 through August 2007 for about $20, was also recalled:
• “It’s a Big Big World” 6-in-1 Bongo Band – painted decal on top of clear plastic on drum

For more information on this recall, including photos, visit the CPSC web site and Mattel's web site.

    
         

In the news: product safety under scrutiny

Over the past few days, there have been several important newspaper stories highlighting key product-safety issues and the huge challenges the small Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) faces in keeping unsafe products out of our homes.  The stories also raise questions about the commission’s ability and wherewithal to do its job, given its shrinking budget and staff—something we’ve written about before.

In case you’ve missed the stories, here's a recap:

Today  The Wall Street Journal reports that although the CPSC says manufacturers must report all claims of potentially hazardous product defects within 24 hours, Mattel has taken months to make such disclosures to the agency. That includes its recall last month of nearly 18 million toys. According to the story, “Mattel Chairman and Chief Executive Robert Eckert said in an interview that the company discloses problems on its own timetable because it believes both the law and the commission's enforcement practices are unreasonable. Mattel said it should be able to evaluate hazards internally before alerting any outsiders, regardless of what the law says.”

On Sunday, Sept. 2, The New York Times noted that top officials at the Consumer Product Safety Commission  have “blocked enforcement actions, weakened industry oversight rules and promoted voluntary compliance over safety mandates, according to interviews with current and former senior agency officials and consumer groups and a review of commission documents.” For example, the story says, the agency has only a handful of agency inspectors looking for hazardous cargo before it enters the country and only a single employee responsible for testing suspected defective toys. “Safety initiatives have been stalled or dropped after dozens of jobs were eliminated in budget cutbacks.”

On Saturday, Sept. 1, The Washington Post reported that manufacturers are increasingly exporting substandard goods, including toys, that do not meet U.S. safety standards. “Companies notified the [CPSC] 97 times last year that they planned to export goods that did not meet some aspect of U.S. safety standards. That is up from 57 times in 2002, according to the agency.  Some consumer-advocacy groups agree that allowing U.S. manufacturers to export goods that do not meet U.S. standards not only puts foreigners at risk but also hurts the United States' ability to force other countries to comply with its rules. It "knocks us off any 'world's safety policeman' soapbox we claim to own," said Edmund Mierzwinski, consumer program director for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "It places foreign consumers at risk from our dangerous products."

We will continue to follow and analyze all the news on the product safety front.  Look for regular updates on this blog.