Drop-side Cribs to be Banned in Canada

Health Canada recalled almost one million drop-side cribs on Monday as the global standards organization ASTM International prepares to ban the use of drop-side cribs in Canada.

Government regulators examining the drop-side cribs, thought to have caused the death of 4 babies in the United States and the entrapment of 3 babies in Canada, discovered that the plastic hardware on the cribs can break or deform over time. The rail can detach from the crib, creating a space between the drop-side and the mattress that babies can roll into.

Recalled cribs were distributed from January 1993 to October 2009. The company at the centre at the largest crib recall in history, Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., insists that the cribs are safe and that past safety incidents were a result of improper use. The company will be providing repair kits to make the drop-side of the crib fixed; however, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum has said that crib repair kits may not be enough to ensure safety.

Currently in Canada, manufacturers or distributors must initiate a voluntary recall of products as the federal government does not have this power; however, a new bill is being discussed before the Senate to give Health Canada this ability.

Please visit the Health Canada website for more information about the recall. Check out all of our Health & Safety posts here.