Monarch Computer Armoires

CPSC Recall #00-055 — January 17, 2000

Recall Summary

Recall Number00-055
Recall DateJanuary 17, 2000
Remedy TypeNew Instructions, Repair
Units AffectedAbout 212,400

Where It Was Sold

Department
office and furniture stores nationwide sold these computer armoires from July 1997 through December 1999 for about $450.

Product

Monarch Computer Armoires

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Sauder Woodworking Co., of Archbold, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 212,400 computer armoires. The upper doors or upper door components can fall off, causing injury to nearby consumers. Sauder Woodworking has received 143 reports of an upper door or its components falling off, resulting in 17 injuries, including a broken toe, cuts, scratches and bruises. The recall involves the Monarch style computer armoire, models 2549 (washed pine finish), 2649 (woodland oak finish), 2749 (classic cherry finish), 8449 (fruitwood finish), and 9649 (amber oak finish). The Monarch Computer Armoire measures about 41.5 inches wide, 23 inches deep and 73 inches high with the doors closed. Two upper doors open to reveal designated areas for a printer, monitor, and keyboard. Two lower rollaway doors open to provide additional work surfaces and a file drawer. "Sauder" is imprinted into two metal strike plates, located in the corners of the upper doors. The model number is located on a sticker that the consumer attached to the armoire or in the assembly instruction book. Department, office and furniture stores nationwide sold these computer armoires from July 1997 through December 1999 for about $450. Consumers should stop using the computer armoire immediately and call Sauder toll-free at (888) 800-6315 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday to order a free repair kit. The repair kit includes safety brackets for installation on both doors and installation instructions.

Hazard

The upper doors or upper door components can fall off, causing injury to nearby consumers.

Incidents & Injuries

Sauder Woodworking has received 143 reports of an upper door or its components falling off, resulting in 17 injuries, including a broken toe, cuts, scratches and bruises.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using the computer armoire immediately and call Sauder toll-free at (888) 800-6315 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday to order a free repair kit. The repair kit includes safety brackets for installation on both doors and installation instructions.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a New Instructions, 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 (New Instructions, 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.