CPSC Announces Recall of Additional Wooden Bunk Beds

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and 10 bunk bed manufacturers and importers announced today the recall of over 41,000 wooden bunk beds. The bunk beds have openings on the top bunk which may 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.

On May 9, 1995, CPSC and 11 manufacturers announced the recall of more than 320,000 wooden bunk beds with similar entrapment hazards. In response to this action, the manufacturers participating in the recall today have also identified bunk beds with similar entrapment hazards.

From 1990 through 1995, CPSC received reports of 26 children who died from becoming caught in bunk beds with similar spaces in the top bunk. Twenty one of those children were ages two and under, and four were three years of age. Neither CPSC nor the manufacturers are aware of any deaths associated with the products listed below.

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) voluntary standard for bunk beds requires that, in addition to having guardrails on both sides of the top bunk, any spaces between the guardrail and bed frame, and in the head and foot boards on the top bunk, 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 placing permanent labels on their bunk beds to warn that children under the age of six be prohibited from the upper bunk. CPSC and the manufacturers continue to urge parents and caregivers not to put children under the age of six on the top bunk.

The manufacturers and importers 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.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury and for information on CPSC's fax-on-demand service, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To order a press release through fax-on-demand, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of your fax machine and enter the release number. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information or report product hazards to info@cpsc.gov.

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