Baseline Design beanbag chairs
CPSC Recall #03-076 — January 27, 2003
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 03-076 |
| Recall Date | January 27, 2003 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 30,000 |
| Manufacturer | Baseline Design, of Linwood, Pa. |
Where It Was Sold
| Wal-Mart stores located in the Northeast U.S. sold the beanbag chairs from September 1999 through December 1999 for about $30. |
Product
Baseline Design beanbag chairs
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing the recall of about 30,000 beanbag chairs manufactured in 1999 by Baseline Design, of Linwood, Pa. Some of these beanbag chairs have zippers that can be opened, allowing access to the polystyrene beads inside the chairs. This poses a suffocation hazard to young children who can unzip the chair and inhale the small beads.Baseline Design is aware of three incidents in which the chairs were unzipped freely. Two of the incidents involved young children who were able to open the beanbag chair zippers and handle the small polystyrene beads, including one child who received medical attention after inhaling the beads.The recalled beanbag chairs are designed with 12-inch double zippers and have various designs, including a smiley face, a football shape, a baseball shape, a basketball shape, and solid green, yellow, pink and blue neon colors. The beanbags have a tag that states, in part, "Made by Baseline Design."Wal-Mart stores located in the Northeast U.S. sold the beanbag chairs from September 1999 through December 1999 for about $30.Consumers should check if they can unzip their Baseline Design beanbag chairs. If the zippers can be unzipped freely, Baseline Design will provide owners with a free replacement beanbag chair with zippers that do not open. Consumers should be sure young children cannot use the chairs if the zipper can be opened freely and should be sure children are not exposed to the beads inside the chair. For more information and instructions, consumers should call Baseline Design at (800) 497-3626, Ext. 3046, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.foamex.com.Baseline Design is cooperating with the CPSC and providing replacement beanbag chairs to consumers if the zippers can be opened freely. The firm previously notified owners of the recalled products through newspaper advertisements in the Northeastern U.S. where the beanbags were sold.
Hazard
Some of these beanbag chairs have zippers that can be opened, allowing access to the polystyrene beads inside the chairs. This poses a suffocation hazard to young children who can unzip the chair and inhale the small beads.
Incidents & Injuries
Baseline Design is aware of three incidents in which the chairs were unzipped freely. Two of the incidents involved young children who were able to open the beanbag chair zippers and handle the small polystyrene beads, including one child who received medical attention after inhaling the beads.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should check if they can unzip their Baseline Design beanbag chairs. If the zippers can be unzipped freely, Baseline Design will provide owners with a free replacement beanbag chair with zippers that do not open. Consumers should be sure young children cannot use the chairs if the zipper can be opened freely and should be sure children are not exposed to the beads inside the chair.
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.
Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.
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.