Wooden bunk beds
CPSC Recall #11-214 — May 4, 2011
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 11-214 |
| Recall Date | May 4, 2011 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 445,000 in the United States and 21,700 in Canada |
| Manufacturer | Dorel Asia SRL, of Barbados |
| Manufactured In | Vietnam |
Where It Was Sold
| Walmart |
| Kmart and Target stores and online at www.walmart.com |
| www.kmart.com and www.target.com from September 2004 through September 2009 for about $190. |
Product
Wooden bunk beds
Description
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Hazard
The wooden side rails that run from the headboard to the footboard and hold the bunk bed's mattress in place can split and cause the bunk bed to collapse, posing a fall hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC and Dorel Asia have received 23 reports of the side rails cracking or breaking, including seven reports of minor bruises or abrasions.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately contact Dorel Asia to receive a free repair kit. Until consumers obtain and install the repair kit, consumers should take down the bunk beds and only use them as separate twin beds.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.
Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.