Bunk Beds
CPSC Recall #97-095 — April 6, 1997
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 97-095 |
| Recall Date | April 6, 1997 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, New Instructions, Replace |
| Units Affected | More than 511,400 |
Product
Bunk Beds
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), five bunk bed manufacturers are recalling approximately 3,100 wooden and metal bunk beds. The bunk beds have openings on the top bunk that present a potential entrapment hazard to young children. The spaces can be large enough for a child's body to pass through, but small enough to entrap a child's head. Since November 1994, CPSC and 31 manufacturers have announced recalls of more than 511,400 wooden bunk beds with similar entrapment hazards. In response to this action, the manufacturers participating in this recall have also identified wooden and metal bunk beds with similar entrapment hazards. Since 1990, CPSC has received reports of 34 children who died from becoming caught in spaces in the top of wooden bunk beds. Thirty-three of those children were 3 years old or younger. In addition, CPSC has received reports of four children who died from becoming caught in spaces in the top of metal bunk beds. All four children were 2 years old or younger. The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) voluntary standard for bunk beds requires that, in addition to having guardrails on both sides of the top bunk, all spaces between the guardrail and bed frame, and in the head and foot boards on the top bunk, be less than 3.5 inches. Bunk beds currently made by the companies listed below now meet the spacing requirement of the voluntary standard. The companies are also providing permanent labels or placing permanent labels on their bunk beds to warn that children under age 6 be prohibited from the upper bunk. CPSC and the manufacturers continue to urge parents and caregivers not to put children under age 6 on the top bunk. The manufacturers listed below are participating in this recall to improve the safety of these beds and to meet the requirements of the voluntary standard. Consumers should stop using the recalled beds immediately and call the company or contact the retailer for a replacement guardrail, retrofit kit, or instructions to help eliminate the potential entrapment hazard. If this cannot be done (for example, firm out of business) then consumers should discard or destroy the product. If consumers are not sure of the bunk bed manufacturer or have questions about this recall, they should call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772. Dates Company Model(s) Distributed Locations Acme Trading Corp. 2441 July 1996 - CA, CO, IL, Vernon, CA Metal Bunk Beds January 1997 NE, OK, OR, (213) 623-0000 TX Chicken & Egg Furniture Horizontal and Spindle 1987 - 1997 CA, CO, ID, Seattle, WA Rung Blakely IL, MN, MT, OUT OF BUSINESS Wooden Bunk Beds NV, OR, WA, WI IEM Furniture 2155B, 2155G, 2155W, 1994 - 1996 CA, NV, OR, City of Commerce, CA 2153B, 2153G, 2153W WA (323) 888-1688 Metal Bunk Beds Lewis Furniture Mfg. Co. 202 1989- GA, SC Williamston, SC Wooden Bunk Beds January 1997 (864) 847-4281 Silver Eagle Corp. Loft-1, CBD-Bunk-TT, 1995 - 1997 CA, NV, OR, Sacramento, CA CSH-Bunk-TT, RBD-Loft, WA (916) 925-6099 REC-Bunk-TT Wooden Bunk/Loft Beds when used in a bunk bed configuration Open configuration options
Hazard
The bunk beds have openings on the top bunk that present a potential entrapment hazard to young children. The spaces can be large enough for a child's body to pass through, but small enough to entrap a child's head.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC has received reports of 34 children who died from becoming caught in spaces in the top of wooden bunk beds. Thirty-three of those children were 3 years old or younger. In addition, CPSC has received reports of four children who died from becoming caught in spaces in the top of metal bunk beds. All four children were 2 years old or younger.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using the recalled beds immediately and call the company or contact the retailer for a replacement guardrail, retrofit kit, or instructions to help eliminate the potential entrapment hazard. If this cannot be done (for example, firm out of business) then consumers should discard or destroy the product.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, New Instructions, 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 (Dispose, New Instructions, 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.