Restraint Bars of the Playskool 1-2-3 High Chairs

CPSC Recall #97-056 — January 12, 1997

Recall Summary

Recall Number97-056
Recall DateJanuary 12, 1997
Remedy TypeDispose, No Remedy Available
Units AffectedAbout 287,000

Where It Was Sold

The Playskool 1-2-3 High Chair was available nationwide at discount juvenile product and department stores for about $65.

Product

Restraint Bars of the Playskool 1-2-3 High Chairs

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Playskool of Pawtucket, R.I., is offering free replacement restraint bars for about 287,000 of its 1-2-3 High Chairs. The restraint bar can crack or break off, which may allow a child who is not secured with the high chair's seat belt to fall from the chair and be injured. Playskool has received hundreds of complaints of cracking and breaking restraint bars and 40 reports of injuries to children falling from the high chairs. Injuries primarily involve bumps and bruises; one child sustained a broken collarbone.The plastic restraint bar of the 1-2-3 High Chair is located at the center of the front of the seat. The high chair's tray attaches to the restraint bar. Only restraint bars on Playskool 1-2-3 High Chairs made between May 1995 and May 1996 require replacement. These high chairs have serial numbers between TX51321 and TX61442. The serial number is on a label on the back of the seat of the high chair.The Playskool 1-2-3 High Chair was available nationwide at discount juvenile product and department stores for about $65. As replacement components are no longer available, Playskool is offering consumers $15.00 compensation if they still own this high chair with the affected restraint bar. Call Playskool at 1-800-752-9755 or write to the company at PO Box 200, Pawtucket, RI 02862-0200. Consumers should not return the high chairs to retailers, but rather should discard or destroy it.CPSC and Playskool remind consumers that seat belts should always be fastened whenever a child is in any high chair. 

Hazard

The restraint bar can crack or break off, which may allow a child who is not secured with the high chair's seat belt to fall from the chair and be injured.

Incidents & Injuries

Playskool has received hundreds of complaints of cracking and breaking restraint bars and 40 reports of injuries to children falling from the high chairs. Injuries primarily involve bumps and bruises; one child sustained a broken collarbone.

Remedy Instructions

As replacement components are no longer available, Playskool is offering consumers $15.00 compensation if they still own this high chair with the affected restraint bar. Consumers should not return the high chairs to retailers, but rather should discard or destroy it.

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.