One Million Dangerous Playpens Recalled

Many Atlanta residents trust the safety of their young children to playpens. However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is expected today to announce a recall of one million Kolcraft play yards.
The recall of the portable playpens, some of which include changing tables or bassinets, follows hundreds of complaints of collapsing sides and reports of 21 injured children. The playpens were made in China and distributed by Kolcraft Enterprises Inc. of Chicago.
According to press reports, a Kolcraft spokeswoman, confirmed the recall.
Since September 2007, nearly seven million cribs, bassinets and play yards have been recalled due to hazardous defects primarily related to durability and hardware. This has prompted product-safety advocates to call for tougher standards and regulation for children’s products.
The recall was prompted by 347 reports to Kolcraft that the play yard’s side rail can fail to latch properly, posing a fall hazard when a child pushes against it. The 21 injuries included bumps, bruises and one concussion.
There has been some speculation that the CPSC action was delayed because Kolcraft was late in reporting the complaints to the CPSC, as required by law.
The recall involves dozens of models, including Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot play yards and similar play yards with other brand names Kolcraft has licensed, including Carter’s, Sesame Street, Jeep, Contours, Care Bear and Eric Carle. The products were sold at stores including Babies R Us, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Sears and Target, from January 2000 through January 2009, retailing for between $50 and $160.
The CPSC advises consumers to immediately stop using the play yards and contact Kolcraft or the agency for information on how to get a repair kit.
In September 2007 Kolcraft recalled about 425,000 infant play yards after a child was strangled on a play yard’s changing table’s restraint strap and died.
As part of a major product-safety law Congress approved in August, the CPSC must strengthen manufacturing standards for infant products, including cribs and playpens.
A Kolcraft spokeswoman tried to downplay the dangers involved by pointing out that of the one million units, the several hundred incidents of reported collapse “is really a small number and there were no serious injuries.” This would be small consolation to the parents of a child injured by the negligent actions of this large corporation.