Bean bag chairs
CPSC Recall #02-539 — May 7, 2002
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 02-539 |
| Recall Date | May 7, 2002 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 30,000 |
Where It Was Sold
| Walmart stores sold the bean bag chairs nationwide from September 1999 through December 1999 for about $30. |
Product
Bean bag chairs
Description
PRODUCT: Bean Bag Chairs - Baseline Design of Linwood, Pa., is voluntarily recalling about 30,000 bean bag chairs. The bean bag chairs are designed with 12-inch double zippers in various types of motifs: a smiley face, a football-shape, a baseball-shape, a basketball-shape, and solid neon green, yellow, pink and blue neon colors. Walmart stores sold the bean bag chairs nationwide from September 1999 through December 1999 for about $30.PROBLEM: The bean bags contain small polystyrene beads that present suffocation and strangulation hazards to young children who may inhale the small beads. The recalled bean bag chairs have zippers that were not properly sealed to prevent young children from opening the bean bag chairs and being exposed to the small beads.INCIDENTS/INJURIES: Baseline Design is aware of three incidents in which the zippers opened freely. Two of the incidents involved young children who were able to open the bean bag chair zippers, and gain excess to the small polystyrene beads. One child received medical attention at a hospital after inhaling the small beads.WHAT TO DO: Consumers should inspect their bean bag chairs. If the zippers can be opened freely, Baseline Design will provide owners with a free replacement bean bag chair with zippers that do not open. For more information and instructions consumers should call Baseline Design toll-free at (800) 497-3626, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, EST or visit the firm's website at www.foamex.com.
Hazard
The bean bags contain small polystyrene beads that present suffocation and strangulation hazards to young children who may inhale the small beads. The recalled bean bag chairs have zippers that were not properly sealed to prevent young children from opening the bean bag chairs and being exposed to the small beads.
Incidents & Injuries
Baseline Design is aware of three incidents in which the zippers opened freely. Two of the incidents involved young children who were able to open the bean bag chair zippers, and gain excess to the small polystyrene beads. One child received medical attention at a hospital after inhaling the small beads.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should inspect their bean bag chairs. If the zippers can be opened freely, Baseline Design will provide owners with a free replacement bean bag chair with zippers that do not open.
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.