Media sources reported that new federal standards have now been put in place in the effort of making cribs safer for children and staving off the thousands of crib-related injuries that occur every year.
Spokeswoman for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Kim Dulic says the new standards will “usher in a safer generation of cribs” for those “who aren’t able to protect themselves.”
The new federal regulations ban to manufacturing of drop-side cribs, which have been known to have the potential risks of entrapment and falling. The CPSC will enforce many of the changes, such as strengthening mattress supports and crib slats, increasing the durability of all crib hardware and implementing more rigorous safety testing.
Dulic said, “This is the first time that crib standards have had any substantial revisions in more than 30 years.”
Drop-side cribs have been associated with at least 32 infant suffocations, according to the CPSC, and over the last several years, over 11 million cribs have been recalled. The new standards took effect June 28 this year, so new cribs are already in stores. Independent entities that carry cribs, such as child-care centers and hotels, have until December 28, 2012 to comply with the new regulations.
As a Greenville personal injury lawyer , I’m aware of the safety issues that children’s products face and the recalls that have had to happen. If your child has been injured by a defective children’s product, speak with a personal injury lawyer to learn about the legal avenues open to you.