Folding Crib Recall Notice - CPSC, Hufco-Delaware Company and Evenflo Company Inc. Announce Recall to Repair Gerry® and Evenflo® Portable Wood Cribs

CPSC, Hufco-Delaware Company and Evenflo Company Inc. Announce Recall to Repair Gerry® and Evenflo® Portable Wood Cribs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Hufco-Delaware Company, of Miamisburg, Ohio, and Evenflo Company Inc., of Vandalia, Ohio, are recalling about 364,000 portable wood cribs. If the hardware used to assemble the crib is not tight, the mattress support platform and mattress can fall to the floor. This poses a risk of injury to young children in the crib.

There have been 41 reports of mattresses falling through portable wood cribs. Of these incidents, 17 children suffered bumps, bruises or scratches.

The portable cribs are made of wood and are smaller than traditional baby cribs. The majority of these portable wood cribs were sold under the Gerry® brand name, and some were sold under the Evenflo® brand name. The recalled portable wood cribs have one of the following model numbers that can be found on a label on the mattress platform underneath the mattress:

8212	8222	8232	8242	8252	8282
8301	8302	8311	8312	8321	8322	8331
8332	8341	8342	8351	8352	8381	8382
8512	8522	8532	8542	8552	8582
8712	8752

Department and baby products stores nationwide sold these portable wood cribs from January 1991 through December 2002 for about $99.

Consumers should stop using these portable wood cribs immediately, and call (800) 582-9359 anytime for a free upgrade kit that provides additional support for the mattress platform. Consumers also can obtain further information about the portable wood cribs by logging onto www.evenflo.com (eventually this link will also be at www.portablewoodcrib.com).

No other cribs are included in this recall.

HOTEL CRIB SAFETY

Hotel And Leisure Living Services Ltd., under the Hotel Fun 4 Kids™ Program is committed to improving the quality, accessibility and safety of cribs used for children in Hotels. See important safety information below about Unsafe Cribs in Hotels. We offer high quality full size and portable cribs, mesh play-yards (portable cribs) and our new mini-cot together with quality bedding products selected and designed to help reduce the risks to children when travelling and using hotel cribs or for use in resort nursery programs. All Cribs meet United States and Canadian Safety Standards.

Consider providing Families with options for sleeping accommodations for children as part of your guest services. We would like to help you introduce this service as part of your hotel room facilities. Go to Hotel Fun 4 Kids™ Sleeping Options for Children for more information.

Danger of Unsafe Crib Bedding

A May 18, 2001 directed to parents and caregivers raised concerns about the dangers of loose or oversized sheets in babies cribs - see Dangers of Crib Sheets. A July 12, 2001 Consumer Product Safety Commission press release detailed a report on deaths associated with playpens - See Dangers of Soft Bedding in Playpens. Spot checks conducted by the National Safe Kids Campaign found that many Hotels use adult size sheets and blankets for cribs, posing a risk of strangulation and suffocation. See Unsafe Cribs in Hotels.

To learn more about the other services we offer go to HOTEL FUN 4 KIDS™ SERVICES.

Sleeping Options for Children - The largest selection of Commercial Playyards/Mesh Cribs, Folding and Non-folding metal and wooden Compact Cribs and Full Size Folding and Non-Folding Wooden and Metal Cribs, Little Tikes Toddler and Kids Beds, Mini-cot, Crib Sheets, Blankets and more for Hotels and Resorts

We pride ourselves on providing our clients with individual attention to their needs and ask that you contact us to find out more about our products and services.

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UNSAFE CRIBS AND PLAYYARDS IN HOTELS

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Safe Kids Campaign announced in February of 2000 that a recent spot check conducted by the National Safe Kids Campaign "found unsafe cribs and play yards in 80% of hotels and motels visited".

It was estimated in the announcement "that children under the age of 2 spend more than 7 million nights per year in hotels, motels and resorts".

Heather Paul, Executive Director of the National Safe Kids Campaign said "this information assessment simply raises a red flag for the hotel industry that they might unknowingly be putting babies at risk".

Many hotels and resorts do not keep abreast of recall notices and safety information for cribs. As well, the staff involved in setting up cribs may not even been aware that recalled or unsafe cribs, improper bedding, placement of cribs or simply not having cribs available may present a danger to these young guests. These factors also create a liability risk for the hotel.

Another danger that may be present with hotel cribs is the risk that hotel cribs may be disposed of in an unsafe manner or donated to a local shelter as a well-meaning gesture. Improper disposal of cribs not only presents a risk to the children that may be the recipients of the cribs but also presents a liability issue to hotels.

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Dangers of Crib Sheets

The following press release was issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on May 18, 2001.

Consumer Product Safety Commission Safety Alert

May 18, 2001, Sheets in cribs or beds can sometimes be hazardous to babies. Since 1984, CPSC has learned of the deaths of 17 babies, most under 12 months old, who suffocated or strangled primarily when they became entangled in sheets in their cribs or beds. Two of these deaths related to fitted crib sheets.

CPSC staff has worked actively to strengthen safety requirements for fitted crib sheets. Consumers soon will see warning labels on fitted crib sheets stressing the importance of a secure fit on crib mattresses. CPSC staff and industry also are working together to improve the fit of these sheets on mattresses.

To prevent tragedies, parents and caretakers can take the following precautions to ensure a safer sleeping environment for their young children.

Make sure crib sheets fit snugly on a crib mattress and overlap the mattress so it cannot be dislodged by pulling on the corner of the sheet.
Never use an adult sheet on a crib mattress; it can come loose and present an entanglement hazard to young children.
Place a baby on his/her back on a firm, tight-fitting mattress in a crib meeting current safety standards.
Remove pillows, quilts, comforters, and sheepskins from the crib.

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DANGERS OF SOFT BEDDING IN PLAYPENS

The following excerpt is from a press release issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on July 12, 2001. Go to Crib Safety News for full press release.