CPSC Recall in 2010: Delta Recalls to Repair Drop-Side Cribs Due to Entrapment, Suffocation and Fall Hazards

This recall involves Delta drop-side cribs with three different types of drop-side hardware and Delta cribs with wooden stabilizer bars that support the mattress platform. Consumers should visit www.cribrecallcenter.com for photographs and models of the affected hardware types and instructions on correct assembly of the stabilizer bars.Note: More information about the special industry program to provide free immobilization kits.Important Message from CPSC: CPSC reminds parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib. Babies have died in cribs where repairs were attempted by caregivers. Age is factor in the safety of any crib. At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you not use a crib that is older than 10 years. Many older cribs may not meet current voluntary standards and can have numerous safety problems.Visit CPSC's Crib Information Center for more information on Crib Safety and Recalls.

Drop-Side Hazard: The cribs' drop sides can malfunction, detach or otherwise fail, causing part of the drop side to fall out of position, creating a space into which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged or entrapped, which can lead to strangulation or suffocation. A child can also fall out of the crib. Drop-side incidents can also occur due to incorrect assembly and with age-related wear and tear. Mattress Support Hazard: In addition, the wooden stabilizer bars on some Delta drop-side and fixed-side cribs can be installed upside down, which puts extra stress on the crib and can cause the mattress platform to collapse, creating a gap in which an infant or toddler can become entrapped and posing a risk of strangulation or suffocation.

Repair

CPSC and Delta have received 57 reports involving drop sides that have malfunctioned or detached, resulting in three entrapments, including two reports of bruises and one child who fell out of the crib. Additionally, CPSC is aware of 19 reports in which stabilizer bars were installed upside-down, resulting in 10 mattress platform collapses. Two children were entrapped but freed without injury and one child sustained scratches.

Children's product retail stores nationwide and on-line from January 2000 through May 2009 for between $100 and $300.

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