droolicious : consumer safety

Pre-Holiday Reminder to Check the US CPSC Recall Site

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:04:00 GMT

Not to seem xenophobic or anything, but it seems fair to assume that the more incoherent a toy's packaging is, the more likely that toy is to end up on the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's Toy Hazard Recalls site. And, you guessed it, this toy TV from Los Angeles-based company-no-one's-ever-heard-of OKK Trading was recently yanked for violation of the federal lead-paint standard.

If you haven't already bookmarked the CPSC's recall pages (see below) or signed up to receive recall alerts, now is a good time to do it. Though we're not seeing as many life-threatening toys from major manufacturers as we were last year, there's still plenty of time before the holidays.

US CPSC Recalls and Product Safety News (main page)

Toy Hazard Recalls

Infant/Child Product Recalls (Not Including Toys) [RSS Feed]

Baby Carrier Follow-Up: Beco Butterfly Recall and Update

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 23:54:00 GMT

"How ya like me now, CPSC?" Beco Butterfly carrier, retro-fitted and ready to roll.

Our 7 Days of Baby Carriers series from earlier this year prompted a bunch of comments from you, in particular a heated debate over whether the ERGO (our pick) offered more bang for the buck than the equally popular and high-end Beco carrier. Well, the jury's still out, opinion-wise, but in checking the weekly barrage of baby-product recalls from the CPSC, we stumbled across a recent tidbit that at least makes us feel OK that we picked the ERGO when we did. In late April, Beco issued a voluntary recall of its Butterfly infant carriers (models purchased between January and Feb. 28, 2008), but the good news is that it's not only begun issuing retro-fit kits to correct the issue; it's also devoted many of its recent blog posts to keeping customers informed. (If only bigger companies exercised such care.)

If you haven't already gotten word from your retailer, here's the deal: According to the recall, the buckles on the Butterfly's shoulder straps can unexpectedly release tension, causing the straps to slip through and posing a fall hazard to babies. No injuries have been reported so far (and in all, we're talking around 2,000 total units shipped), but Beco received eight reports of the straps slipping through and has decided to pull the item.

As always, you can stay up to date on the complete list of CSPC infant/child recalls here, and the complete (and even scarier) list of toy recalls here. And if you purchased a Beco Butterfly during the months in question but haven't yet been tipped to this recall or received a retro-fit kit, you can contact Beco toll-free at 888-943-8232 weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST, or visit the company's website at becobabycarrier.com.

Keep Crocs From Eating Your Children's Feet This Summer

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:04:00 GMT

[Photo: CityNews.ca]

Moderndaydad's recent "7 Days of Summerwear" post about Crocs -- which, full disclosure, I also endorse for their convenience, comfort, and non-toxic construction -- came at a good time, because while the shoes may be great for warm weather, they're also raising serious questions about when and where else it's appropriate to wear them.

From the CPSC's carefully worded May 13 warning about "popular soft-sided flexible clogs and slides" to this more specific story from last Thursday (complete with not-suitable-for-mealtime-viewing video), to a pending $7 million lawsuit against the company, Crocs are as infamous for posing a potential danger to children's feet as they are for having questionable aesthetic value. The reason: Escalators' moving parts seem to have an unhealthy, potentially grisly attraction to the popular soft-soled shoes.

Oddly enough, Crocs seems to be taking an "Ignore it and it'll go away" stance on the problem, at least on its online FAQ: You can get answers to questions such as "Can I boil and then eat my Crocs shoes?" (not recommended) and "Can I microwave my Crocs shoes?" (ditto), but not for something as basic as "How can I keep my kids' feet from getting mangled in an escalator while wearing Crocs shoes?"

Well, fear not, because Consumer Reports has compiled this handy list of 11 tips for keeping your kids' Crocs from meeting certain doom, some excerpts of which follow:

To avoid the sides of steps where entrapment can occur, stand in the middle of the step. Always face forward and hold the handrail.
Step over the comb plate. Always pick up your feet and step carefully on or off the escalator. Never drag or slide your feet off the edge of the escalator.
Stay clear of moving parts. Keep your hands, feet and clothing clear of the side panels of the escalator. Remember: loose shoe laces, rubber boots and baggy clothes can get caught in the moving parts of the escalator. Make sure you have no dangling clothing or loose shoelaces that could get caught.

Of course, the simplest way to avoid Crocs-related escalator injuries is not to let your kids wear the things on escalators in the first place, but as the tips above show, such injuries aren't just limited to recyclable, rubbery footwear. Any loose-fitting shoe, as well as dangling laces, baggy apparel or stray limbs, can pose just as big a risk, so use some common sense and teach the kids to dodge that comb plate -- or, you know, take the stairs.

5 Ways Not to Kill Your Children With Baby Products

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:15:00 GMT

Born Free glass bottle: one of many safe alternatives.

As I type this, I'm eating lunch from a curiously soapy-smelling plastic container that I've just pulled out of the microwave -- physician heal thyself, indeed. When it comes to what my kids ingest, however, I'm far more cautious -- and, no doubt like you, I'm becoming overwhelmed by news stories about hormone disruption, lead poisoning, choking hazards and other potentially deadly undersides to what've long been considered staples of parental consumerism (read: affordable plastic baby crap). Here, then, a round-up of five sources to help you understand why some old-fashioned methods of feeding, washing and playing with your child are becoming increasingly dangerous.

Baby Shampoo Awash in Chemicals? (WebMD): While you're trading your plastic sippy cups for glass bottles, you might want to check the baby powder, lotion and shampoo in your cupboard, as well: More and more pee-analysis studies are showing a correlation between the use of such plastic-bottled products (to say nothing of plastic toys) and elevated levels of phthalates in little ones.

Recent Magnet Ingestion and Lead/Lead Paint Press Releases and Recalls (US CPSC): Complete with a function that allows you to search back to October of 2001, this list is a convenient, if terrifying, way to stay up to date on the latest in lead and choking-hazard recalls, as well as a sound argument for boycotting Chinese-made products, Olympics and corporate cost-cutting be damned.

9 Child Safety Products That May Cause Harm (MSNBC): So you've thrown away your #7 plastic cups, bought stock in glass baby bottles, and resolved only to buy wooden toys made by Haba. Great -- now turn an eye to your plastic outlet covers, crib bumpers and other child-safety/childproofing implements, as they may be just as likely to turn fatal.

Baby's Toxic Bottle (Center for Health, Environment & Justice): Download a PDF of the study that's helped to make bisphenol-A a household term, and when you're suitably mortified, head to Consumer Reports' site for a primer on safer baby-bottle purchasing.

Keeping Baby's Food Safe (Consumer Reports): When your little one's finished with her YoBaby, do you put the uneaten yogurt back in the fridge for later? And what about that homemade baby food you're making -- have you properly cleaned the food processor beforehand? While not quite as scary as the other sites here, this overview of how and what not to feed your baby is still worth committing to memory.

If you're curious about safe alternatives to some of the above, check out our recent 7 Days of BPA-Free Plastics for a great jumping-off point.