Gold Key metal twin size/full size and twin size/twin size children's bunk beds
CPSC Recall #94-051 — April 5, 1994
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 94-051 |
| Recall Date | April 5, 1994 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | Approximately 50,000 |
Where It Was Sold
| The beds were sold largely through retailers in the midwest |
| including Rhodes |
| Unclaimed Freight |
| Rottmans |
| Schewel Furniture |
| Value City |
| Freight Sales |
| The Room Store |
| and Arronsons. |
Product
Gold Key metal twin size/full size and twin size/twin size children's bunk beds
Description
PRODUCT: Gold Key's high gloss, tubular metal frame, twin size/full size and twin size/twin size children's bunk beds. All models purchased from 1988 through September 1993 are affected. The beds are similar to other beds sold by numerous other vendors and can be identified by the protruding metal mattress support tongues which extend from the corner posts and slide into the top and bottom mattress frames. Most Gold Key beds also have distinctive scroll work on the head boards, foot boards and guard rails.PROBLEM: The bunk bed may unexpectedly collapse during use. Bed occupants may be injured by the falling upper bunk.WHAT TO DO: Stop using the affected beds immediately. Firm is out of business. Immediately stop use of this product. Discard or Destroy these beds.WASHINGTON, DC -- CPSC, Gold Key Enterprises, Arlington, TX, is voluntarily recalling their children's tubular metal bunk beds. The upper level can fall unexpectedly causing the bunk beds to collapse.Gold Key has received some 100 reports of these bed frames cracking or breaking. There were no reports of injury. From 1988 through September 1993 Gold Key distributed some 50,000 of these beds in models selling from approximately $160 to $300 each. The beds were sold largely through retailers in the midwest, including Rhodes, Unclaimed Freight, Rottmans, Schewel Furniture, Value City, Freight Sales, The Room Store, and Arronsons. Since September 1993, Gold Key has sold redesigned bunk beds and ceased distributing the former models.All models of metal bunk beds distributed from 1988 through September 1993 are affected by this problem. The beds are similar to other beds sold by numerous other vendors and can be identified by protruding metal mattress support tongues which extend from the corner posts and slide into the top and bottom mattress frames. Most Gold Key beds have distinctive scroll work on the head boards, foot boards and guard rails.The tubular metal beds are sold in three basic models: twin-size on top over full-size on bottom, twin over twin, and twin over futon. All models are painted a high gloss red, white, blue, or black color. The bunk beds are believed to suffer a design flaw that may cause one or more of the eight corner supports to come loose.Firm is out of business. Immediately stop use of these beds. Discard or destroy these products.CPSC is investigating numerous other importers and manufacturers of metal bunk beds that may present a similar risk of collapsing. To date, firms have received over 400 complaints of defective bunk beds industry-wide. CPSC urges consumers to inspect all eight mattress support corners of all metal bunk beds for breaks or cracks in the paint or metal around the weld. Consumers should stop using damaged bunk beds and contact the retailer, manufacturer, or importer. To assist CPSC in its investigations, consumers are urged to call CPSC toll-free weekdays at 1-800-638-2772 to report incidents or injuries involving metal bunk beds. A teletypewriter for the hearing and speech impaired is available at (800) 638-8270.
Hazard
The bunk bed may unexpectedly collapse during use. Bed occupants may be injured by the falling upper bunk.
Incidents & Injuries
Gold Key has received some 100 reports of these bed frames cracking or breaking. There were no reports of injury.
Remedy Instructions
Firm no longer in business. Recall remedy no longer available. Discard the product. Do not donate or resell.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available 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, No Remedy Available) 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.