- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- article archive
- expert q & a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
CPSC News
"It is important to make safety a priority when making your holiday toy purchases this season," said Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "CPSC has worked hard this year to give parents and grandparents greater confidence that the toys they seek to purchase have enhanced safety protections for children."
So far in calendar year 2009, CPSC has had 38 toy recalls, which is down from 162 in 2008 and 148 in 2007. Toy recalls involving lead paint are also down. This year there has been 14 recalls involving lead, down from 63 in 2007 and 85 in 2008. CPSC attributes this decline to increased enforcement at the ports, cooperation with other nations, consumer awareness and education and compliance by the industry with new federal safety rules.
For 2008, the Commission has reports of 19 toy-related deaths and about 172,700 hospital emergency room treated toy-related injuries to children under 15. Almost half of these injuries, approximately 82,300 were to children younger than 5 years of age. Most of the deaths were associated with drowning, motor vehicle involvement, or airway obstruction from a small toy or small part of a toy.
Here are some safety steps consumers can take while shopping this holiday season:
Once the gifts are open:
Along with educating the public, CPSC is equally committed to working with foreign and domestic toy manufacturers, importers, and retailers to help them understand and comply with these new requirements, while keeping their doors open and their businesses competitive.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov. (11-18-09)
The end of outdoor swimming and pool season doesn't mean the end of drowning dangers for young children. After pools, more children drown in bathtubs than in any other product in and around the home.
For 2003-2005, CPSC staff received reports of an average of 90 children younger than 5 years of age who drowned in bathtubs (62 percent), baby seats or bathinettes (15 percent), buckets and pails (11 percent), landscaping or yard products (6 percent), and other products (4 percent). There was an annual average of an additional 39 reports of non-fatal submersion incidents for 2005-2007 that were reported for the same products. The majority of drownings and non-fatal submersion incidents involved children younger than 2 years old.
"What parents need to know is that anywhere there is water, there is a potential drowning hazard to children," said Inez Tenenbaum, CPSC Chairman. "Parents shouldn't let their guard down; young children need constant supervision around bathtubs, bath seats and buckets."
Many of the reported incidents involved a lapse in supervision by caregivers, such as leaving the bathroom momentarily while the child was in the bathtub to answer the phone/door or to retrieve an item like a towel. In other incidents, an older sibling was left to watch a younger sibling.
CPSC recommends parents and caregivers follow these safety tips when children are around bathtubs, bath seats, buckets, spas, or decorative ponds or fountains:
CPSC staff estimates that in 2006, 16,300 children 5 years old and younger were treated in emergency rooms because of injuries associated with TV, furniture and appliance tip-overs, and between 2000 and 2006, CPSC staff received reports of 134 tip-over related deaths. Additionally, CPSC staff is aware of at least 30 media reports of tip-over deaths since January 2007 involving this same age group.
"Many parents are unaware of the deadly danger of this hidden hazard. I urge parents to include securing TVs, furniture and appliances in their childproofing efforts," says CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Taking a few moments now can prevent a tip-over tragedy later."
"You may think your home is safe, but everyday things like a television can hurt your child. I was right there and it happened," says Sylvia Santiago, of West Haven, Conn., who lost her 2-year-old daughter in 2008.
Typically, injuries and deaths occur when children climb onto, fall against or pull themselves up on television stands, shelves, bookcases, dressers, desks, chests and appliances. In some cases, televisions placed on top of furniture tip over and cause a child to suffer traumatic and sometimes fatal injuries. "The most devastating injuries that we see resulting from furniture tipping on children are injuries to the brain and when a child is trapped under a heavy piece of furniture and suffocates," says Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Recent revisions to the voluntary safety standards for clothes storage units provide for the inclusion of warning labels and additional hardware to secure the furniture to the floor or wall. To help prevent tip-over hazards, CPSC offers the following safety tips:
Learn more by reading Toppling Televisions: Taking Precautions to Keep Babies Safe Around TVs. (9-25-09)
Tenenbaum, a former South Carolina State Superintendant of Education, brings a strong focus to CPSC on educating and informing children and consumers across the nation about product safety. She released CPSC's "Back to School Safety Checklist" and urged parents and schools to use it to create a safer school environment for children.
"It just takes a moment for a child to be seriously injured or even killed riding a bicycle, playing on the playground, using a movable soccer goal, wearing a jacket with a drawstring or by a recalled product," says Tenenbaum. "Let's keep kids in the classroom and out of the emergency room. Parents and school officials should make it a priority to check for hazards at home and at school."
CPSC's "Back to School Safety Checklist"
Playgrounds:
- I checked with my school's officials to make sure that the school's playground equipment has been inspected and maintained.
- There are at least 9 inches of shock-absorbing surface material around my school's playground equipment.
Each year, more than 200,000 hospital emergency room visits are related to playground injuries. Most injuries involve falls onto the playground surface or playground equipment.
Bicycle Helmets:
- My child wears a helmet that meets CPSC requirements every time he/she bikes or rides a scooter to and from school.
- My child's helmet fits snuggly, level on top of the head, with a buckled chin strap.
CPSC staff has reports of an annual average of 80 children under 16 years of age who died in bicycle-related incidents in recent years. About half of the approximately 500,000 bicycle-related emergency room-treated injuries in 2008 involved children under 16 years of age.
Drawstrings:
- None of my child's outerwear clothing has drawstrings at the hood or neck area.
Since 1985, CPSC has received reports of 28 deaths and 71 non-fatal incidents involving the entanglement of children's clothing drawstrings.
Movable Soccer Goals:
- All soccer goals are securely anchored while in use.
From 1998 to 2008, CPSC has reports of at least eight deaths and an estimated 2,000 emergency department visits by children younger than 16 years of age that are related to soccer goal tip-overs and structural failures.
Recalled Products:
- I have checked CPSC's Web site, www.cpsc.gov, to make sure all back-to-school purchases and previously owned items have not been recalled.
- I have signed up at www.cpsc.gov to have e-mail alerts of CPSC recall announcements that interest me sent directly to my e-mail inbox.
Children's upper outerwear with drawstrings, including sweatshirts, pose a strangulation hazard to children, which can result in serious injury or death. In March 2009, CPSC and the sweatshirts' importer announced a recall of the products.
CPSC issued drawstring guidelines in 1996 to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist drawstrings in upper outerwear, such as jackets and sweatshirts. In 1997, industry adopted a voluntary standard for drawstrings that incorporated the CPSC guidelines. In May 2006, CPSC's Office of Compliance announced that children's upper outerwear with drawstrings at the hood or neck would be regarded as defective and as presenting a substantial risk of injury to young children.
Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report to CPSC immediately (within 24 hours) after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect that could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death or fails to comply with any consumer product safety rule or any other rule, regulation, standard or ban enforced by CPSC.
In agreeing to the settlement, Kohl's Department Stores denies CPSC's allegations that it knowingly violated the law. In 2008, Kohl's paid a $35,000 civil penalty for failing to report drawstrings in children's sweatshirts. (9-10-09)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is alerting the public, school
officials, facilities managers and municipal and public safety officials that
outdoor steel stadium light poles manufactured by Whitco Co. LP, of Fort Worth,
Texas, can fracture or crack and fall over, posing a risk of serious injury and
death to patrons and bystanders from being hit or crushed. To reduce the risk
of injury, Whitco Co. LP outdoor steel stadium light poles should be inspected
immediately.
CPSC has confirmed nine incidents in which Whitco Co. LP poles installed from about 2000 through 2006 fell. In one incident, a pole fell through the roof of a school gymnasium causing significant damage. In two incidents, a pole fell onto outdoor bleachers causing significant damage. The majority of incidents occurred in Texas, though the Whitco Co. LP poles have been installed in other states. To date, CPSC is not aware of any injuries.
CPSC has also confirmed that nearly 50 Whitco Co. LP poles that have not fallen
had developed fractures and/or cracks next to the weld that joins the pole to
its base plate. The fallen and cracked poles were located near or around school
football stadiums and gymnasiums.
Whitco Co. LP, formerly located at 7700 Wyatt Drive in Fort Worth, is no longer
in business. The poles can be found at facilities such as recreational parks and
fields, schools and outdoor stadiums. The poles are constructed of steel with
a galvanized coating, and can range from about 70 to 135 feet tall, and weigh
from about 1 to 4 tons.
CPSC recommends that Whitco Co. LP outdoor steel stadium light poles be inspected
by a qualified professional immediately to reduce the risk of poles falling over
and crushing a patron or bystander. CPSC also recommends that the areas of, and
next to, all welds joining a pole to its base plate be inspected for signs of
cracking, fractures, or deterioration. Visual examination with the naked eye or
with a magnifier will not sufficiently determine the extent of fracturing or cracking.
If any of these conditions are found, immediately have the affected poles repaired
or replaced by a qualified professional.
CPSC is conducting an investigation concerning these poles and other outdoor
steel stadium light poles that may pose a similar concern. CPSC recommends that
all outdoor steel stadium light poles be routinely inspected.
If you have information or questions regarding this warning, contact CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 anytime. (9-02-09)
CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum says the CPSIA's new requirements will help protect families and she urges businesses to comply. "I will ensure that these requirements are enforced vigorously and fairly," says Tenenbaum. "By ensuring that toys and other children's products meet strict lead limits and can be tracked in the event of a recall, I believe children will be better protected in their homes."
The requirements that become effective on August 14 include the following:
Visit CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html for more information about the agency's successful implementation of the CPSIA. (8-18-09)
Before re-selling products, CPSC encourages re-sellers to check its Web site, www.cpsc.gov, to determine if the product has been recalled.
"Those who re-sell recalled children's products are not only breaking the law, they are putting children's lives at risk," says CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Resale stores should make safety their business and check for recalled products and hazards to children."
A CPSC study conducted in 1999 found that nearly 70 percent of resale stores sold at least one recalled or otherwise hazardous product.
CPSC is partnering with the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops (NARTS), the Salvation Army, state agencies and others to alert re-sellers about recalled products, product hazards including cribs that do not meet current safety standards, drawstrings in children's clothing and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
"NARTS fully supports CPSC's outreach efforts to resale stores," says Adele Meyer, NARTS' Executive Director. "Our members are resale professionals committed to product safety who believe good value and selling safe products go hand in hand."
The agency's education campaign, which will include safety seminars for resale store owners and employees, is part of CPSC's commitment to protecting consumers, especially children.
CPSC's Internet surveillance team is monitoring online retailers and auction sites for sales of recalled and hazardous products. Re-sellers are reminded that they must comply with the federal law, which will be enforced for in-store and online sales.
CPSC has released a new "Handbook for Resale Stores and Product Re-sellers" to help resellers comply with the law. It can be found at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/thrift/thrguid.pdf or can be ordered by calling CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772.
CPSC's Top Ten list of recalled children's products can be found here. (8-07-09)
The penalty settlement, which has been provisionally accepted by the Commission,
resolves CPSC staff allegations that Haier America knowingly failed to report
to CPSC immediately, as required by federal law, that the fan posed a risk of
fire. Repeated bending of the fan's wires during oscillation caused the wires
to break, resulting in a fire hazard.
From May 2004 to October 2004, Haier America received as many as 14 reports of incidents involving the fans, including some fires and one report of injuries. During that time, Haier America conducted testing and other analysis. Haier America finally reported to CPSC in December 2004, only after CPSC asked the company to report. In November 2005, Haier America and CPSC announced a recall of the fans.
Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report to CPSC immediately (within 24 hours) after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect that could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or violates any consumer product safety rule or any other rule, regulation, standard or ban enforced by the CPSC.
"Prompt reporting in this case could have prevented fires and injuries," says CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Companies have a responsibility to immediately let us know of potential hazards, and we will hold them to their duty."
In agreeing to the settlement, Haier America denies CPSC's allegations. (7-24-09)
Chairman Tenenbaum, in a press event and fireworks demonstration on the National Mall, reminded consumers that even with fewer reported deaths and injuries in 2008, the one-month period surrounding the Fourth of July is still the most dangerous time. In fact, 70 percent of all fireworks-related injuries occurred between June 20 and July 20.
"CPSC wants to keep reducing fireworks-related deaths and injuries in 2009," says Chairman Tenenbaum. "Children should never play with or light fireworks, and adults should watch our demonstrations to see how powerful and dangerous illegal fireworks can be."
Chairman Tenenbaum was joined on the National Mall by Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice; Dan Baldwin, Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Trade within Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and Joseph Riehl, Acting Assistant Director of the Office of Enforcement Programs and Services for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
CPSC continues to work to keep American families safe by educating the public about the risk of injury associated with fireworks, enforcing fireworks regulations, and prosecuting dealers and distributors who manufacture and sell illegal explosives.
As a part of its fireworks enforcement program, CPSC actively works with ATF to investigate roadside stands, warehouses and retail stores that sell professional grade explosives to consumers, and homes that serve as havens for the manufacture of dangerous fireworks devices. These investigations have resulted in dozens of successful prosecutions by the Justice Department's Office of Consumer Litigation and U.S. Attorney offices across the country.
On June 19, 2009, a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York sentenced Jon Cea and Vincent Cea to 24 months and 36 months in federal prison, respectively, after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in explosive materials, involving the illegal sale of more than 1,000 pounds of explosives. The defendants and their customers were not licensed, yet they purchased and sold professional display fireworks. CPSC and the Justice Department worked in partnership on this case.
At the ports, CPSC is working alongside CBP to ensure shipments are in compliance with the federal regulations. With CBP assistance, last year CPSC staff found through sampling and testing of fireworks shipments that forty-nine percent of these shipments contained illegal fireworks.
While the federal government remains committed to stopping the manufacture and sale of illegal fireworks, CPSC encourages consumers who decide to purchase legal fireworks to do the following:
 |  |