Soft Blocks Tower Toys (on Graco® Baby Einstein® discover and play™ Activity Centers)
CPSC Recall #07-176 — May 1, 2007
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 07-176 |
| Recall Date | May 1, 2007 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 40,000 |
| Manufacturer | Graco Children's Products Inc., of Exton, Pa. |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) |
| Babies "R" Us |
| Toys "R" Us |
| Meijer |
| Shopko |
| Target |
| and various specialty retailers nationwide |
| and on Wal-Mart.com and Target.com from February 2005 through about December 2005 for $80. |
Product
Soft Blocks Tower Toys (on Graco® Baby Einstein® discover and play™ Activity Centers)
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Graco Children's Products Inc., of Exton, Pa., is voluntarily recalling about 40,000 Soft Blocks Tower Toys (on Graco Baby Einstein discover and play Activity Centers). The plastic covering on the soft block towers can detach, posing a choking hazard to infants.Name of product: Soft Blocks Tower Toys (on Graco® Baby Einstein® discover and play™ Activity Centers)Units: About 40,000Manufacturer: Graco Children's Products Inc., of Exton, Pa.Hazard: The plastic covering on the soft block towers can detach, posing a choking hazard to infants.Incidents/Injuries: Graco has received 137 reports of infants mouthing and chewing pieces of the plastic film covering, some of whom required medical attention. Serious incident reports include 32 infants who gagged and 49 who choked on the plastic covering.Description: The soft block tower is a stack of three different shaped stuffed fabric blocks in red, yellow and blue. Pictures of apples, fire engines, ducks, bananas, birds and blueberries on the blocks are covered in plastic film. The soft blocks are one of nine toys that snap onto the tray of the activity center. Only model number 4635BEE with serial numbers 012705 through 063005, which indicates the manufacture dates of January 27, 2005 through June 30, 2005, are included in this recall. Model and serial numbers are located underneath the activity center's tray.Sold at: Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), Babies "R" Us, Toys "R" Us, Meijer, Shopko, Target, and various specialty retailers nationwide, and on Wal-Mart.com and Target.com from February 2005 through about December 2005 for $80.Manufactured in: ChinaRemedy: Consumers should immediately remove the Soft Blocks toy from the activity center and contact Graco for a free replacement Tower toy without the plastic film. Consumers can continue to use the activity center after the soft block tower has been removed.Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or log on to www.gracobaby.com.
Hazard
The plastic covering on the soft block towers can detach, posing a choking hazard to infants.
Incidents & Injuries
Graco has received 137 reports of infants mouthing and chewing pieces of the plastic film covering, some of whom required medical attention. Serious incident reports include 32 infants who gagged and 49 who choked on the plastic covering.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately remove the Soft Blocks toy from the activity center and contact Graco for a free replacement Tower toy without the plastic film. Consumers can continue to use the activity center after the soft block tower has been removed.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace 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 (Replace) at no cost to you.
Federal law prohibits the sale of toys with small parts for children under age 3. CPSC uses a standardized small parts cylinder to test whether pieces from a toy can fit entirely inside — if they can, they are considered a choking hazard. Products marketed for children under 3 must not contain any small parts. Beyond the legal requirements, the CPSC and pediatricians recommend keeping all small objects away from children under 4, as the risk of choking extends beyond the formal legal age threshold.
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.