Fold-Up Booster Seats

CPSC Recall #02-009 — October 9, 2001

Recall Summary

Recall Number02-009
Recall DateOctober 9, 2001
Remedy TypeRepair
Units AffectedAbout 1.5 million

Where It Was Sold

Major toy
hardware and department stores nationwide sold these seats from January 1994 through August 1999 for about $18.

Product

Fold-Up Booster Seats

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Safety 1st, of Canton, Mass., is voluntarily recalling about 1.5 million Fold-Up Booster Seats, intended for children who can sit unassisted through about 4 years of age. The top half of the seat inserts can separate, and a child can fall from the chair and be injured.CPSC and Safety 1st have received 32 reports where the seat halves separated. There were seven reports of injuries from falls including bumps, cuts, bruises and a fractured arm.Only Safety 1st Fold-Up Booster Seats with model numbers 173, 173A and 173B are included in this recall. Booster seats with model numbers 173C and 173D, which have four indentations on the bottom, are not included in this recall. The model number is located on the back of the booster seat, inside the left arm panel. The booster seat is made of blue plastic with green and red arms and includes a yellow feeding tray. The seat insert for the booster seat is made up of two halves that are "press-fitted" together. They have a smooth surface bottom, with no indentations. The booster seats have a restraint system made up of a two-piece waist strap and one crotch strap. "SAFETY 1ST" is molded on the top and bottom of the seat insert.Major toy, hardware and department stores nationwide sold these seats from January 1994 through August 1999 for about $18. Consumers should stop using these seats immediately and contact Safety 1st to receive a free repair kit with instructions. Consumers can contact Safety 1st at (888) 579-1730 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or go to the firm's website at www.safety1st.com.

Hazard

The top half of the seat inserts can separate, and a child can fall from the chair and be injured.

Incidents & Injuries

CPSC and Safety 1st have received 32 reports where the seat halves separated. There were seven reports of injuries from falls including bumps, cuts, bruises and a fractured arm.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using these seats immediately and contact Safety 1st to receive a free repair kit with instructions.

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.