Baby Walkers

CPSC Recall #03-012 — October 9, 2002

Recall Summary

Recall Number03-012
Recall DateOctober 9, 2002
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 3,500

Where It Was Sold

Independent discount stores located in Arizona
California
Texas
Illinois
North Carolina and New York sold these baby walkers from May 2001 through June 2002 for between $18 and $22.

Product

Baby Walkers

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Oriental International Trading Company, of Los Angeles, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 3,500 baby walkers. The walkers will fit through a standard doorway and are not designed to stop at the edge of a step. Babies using these walkers can be seriously injured or killed if they fall down stairs.Oriental International Trading has not received any reports of injuries involving these walkers. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.This recall includes the "Honey" model baby walker. The walkers are intended for a baby 5 months and older. They were sold in blue, yellow or pink with a padded seat and an activity tray. Model numbers included in the recall are 820, 860, 862 and 802. The model numbers are printed on the seat backs. A warning label on the walker reads in part, "WARNING: Suitable for babies between five and ten months old."Independent discount stores located in Arizona, California, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina and New York sold these baby walkers from May 2001 through June 2002 for between $18 and $22.Consumers should stop using these walkers immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund. For more information, consumers can contact Oriental International Trading Company at (866) 666-9868 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. Consumers can also visit the firm's web site at www.bike-stroller.com. CPSC worked with industry to revise the voluntary standard for baby walkers to address injuries from falls down stairs. The revised standard was published in 1997. Children falling down stairs in walkers have accounted for most baby walker-related injuries. New walkers that meet the voluntary standard have special features that stop the walker at the top step. Baby walker-related injuries to children under 15 months old have declined over 60 percent from an estimated 20,100 in 1995 to 7400 in 2000.

Hazard

The walkers will fit through a standard doorway and are not designed to stop at the edge of a step. Babies using these walkers can be seriously injured or killed if they fall downstairs.

Incidents & Injuries

Oriental International Trading has not received any reports of injuries involving these walkers. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using these walkers immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund. 

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund 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 (Refund) 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.