The Consumer Products Safety Commission continues its aggressive push for recalls of furniture products it believes pose danger to children. Most of the products identified are sold online.
The latest: Walker Edison Furniture Co. has recalled two models of four-drawer chests, CPSC said in a news release Nov. 4.
“The chests do not comply with the performance requirements of the U.S. voluntary industry standard,” the agency said. As a result, they “are unstable if they are not anchored to the wall, posing serious tip-over and entrapment hazards that may result in death or injuries to children.”
The Walker Edison units were manufactured in Brazil and China. Some 24,000 were sold for between $200 and $300 at bestbuy.com, pier1.com, amazon.com, target.com and other online retailers from August 2018 through March 2020, CPSC said. Nearly 1,000 more were sold to customers in Canada. “The drawer chests are made of wood and either painted white, painted gray, painted with wood stain, or covered in a wood imitation laminate,” according to CPSC.
“Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled chests and contact Walker Edison for instructions to dispose of the product and obtain a full refund or free replacement,” CPSC said. “Walker Edison will provide packaging and prepaid shipping labels so that consumers can remove the chest’s drawer slides and return them to the firm for a full refund or free replacement chest.” Contact information: Call toll-free at 833-208-3600, email at recall1020@walkeredison.com, or go to www.walkeredison.com and click on “Recall.”
Commissioners push for ‘full and fast refunds’
In September, CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler and Commissioner Eliot Kaye released a statement asserting that “the agency’s compliance staff has also worked with a number of firms to recall particularly hazardous dressers, many of which failed to meet the requirements of the industry’s own voluntary standard. Unfortunately, countless hours have been spent trying to convince industry of the necessity to address those clothing storage units that pose a tipover hazard.”
Adler and Kaye expressed their view that simply offering consumers anchoring kits is not an adequate remedy. “Companies should at a minimum offer full and fast refunds to consumers who do not want to live with furniture that could tip over and harm children,” they wrote.
Last month, CPSC said a convertible crib sold by Serena & Lily poses an injury hazard and should not be used. Owners should contact the retailer for a repair, replacement or refund.
The Nash crib has a white finish with oak trim and can convert to a toddler bed. It sold for about $900 in Serena & Lily stores nationwide, through the Serena & Lily catalog and online at serenaandlily.com from September 2018 through April. Some 260 were sold as part of a kit that included the crib and toddler bed rails, according to CPSC.
Serena & Lily received five reports of a leg partially detaching from a headboard/footboard. No injuries were reported. The product was manufactured in Vietnam and imported by Serena & Lily of Sausalito, Calif.
“Consumers can choose a replacement headboard and footboard to repair the crib, plus a coupon for $250 good for one year from date of issue; replace the Nash Convertible Crib; exchange for another Serena & Lily crib of equivalent value; or a full refund,” CPSC said in a news release. “Serena & Lily is contacting all purchasers of recalled cribs directly.”
The latest recall: Zinus bunk beds
The latest recall involves Zinus metal bunk beds.
“The firm has received 13 reports of the bunk bed welds coming apart, including three reports of multiple welds simultaneously failing. Of the 13 reports received, three resulted in bumps and bruises after the consumer fell to the floor from the upper bunk when the welds failed,” CPSC said in a Nov. 12 news release.
The agency reported that the beds were manufactured in China and sold online at www.amazon.com, www.walmart.com, www.wayfair.com, www.overstock.com, www.homedepot.com and www.zinus.com from December 2016 through January 2020 for between $90 and $240. About 26,000 were sold.
“Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled upper bunk and contact the firm for instructions on receiving a free repair kit with reinforcement brackets or a full refund,” CPSC added. “Zinus is contacting all purchasers directly.”
Home Furnishings Association members focus on safety
Many Home Furnishings Association members focus on safety for their customers. And HFA urges retailers not to sell products that don’t comply with the ASTM stability standard.
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