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North Carolina Products Liability: CPSC Attempts to Prevent Injuries to Children with Graco High Chair Recall and Baby Sling Warning

Manufacturers are obligated to make products that are not a danger to consumers?especially when kids are involved. Unfortunately, this isn?t always the case, and child injuries and deaths caused by hazardous or defective products are not uncommon. This is where an experienced Charlotte, North Carolina products liability law firm that handles injuries to children cases can step in.

Earlier this month, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned consumers to be careful when using an infant sling to carry infants younger than 4-months. The slings, although easy to wear and convenient for breastfeeding and bonding, can pose a suffocation hazard that in the last 20 years have resulted in at least 14 deaths.

The trendy sling-style carriers can be dangerous in two ways: Its fabric can end up covering the baby?s mouth and nose, which can quickly cause suffocation, or, in the event that the baby folds his/her chin toward the chest, breathing can get obstructed and slow suffocation may occur.

Some of the infants that died while in baby slings either had breathing difficulties, were preemies, or were the low birth weight twin. Although the CPSC is not urging parents and guardians to stop using the baby slings, it is warning them to make sure that the baby is in a position that allows him/her to breath and that the fabric doesn?t end up over the infant?s face.

The CPSC, however, is asking consumers to stop using any of the 1.2 million Graco high chairs that are a potential fall hazard to kids until they get their free repair kit from the manufacturer. At least 24 injuries have been linked to the Graco Harmony? High Chairs. Many of the injuries were head injuries. Graco has also received 464 reports citing incidents involving brackets and screws that got lose, causing the chair to become unstable and topple over.

Infant Deaths Prompt CPSC Warning About Sling Carriers for Babies, CPSC, March 12, 2010

Graco high chair recall: What you need to know, Christian Science Monitor, March 18, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Unsafe Baby Slings, The New York Times, March 12, 2010

Safe Kids USA

Full post as published by North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog on March 21, 2010 (boomark / email).