amputated fingers due to strollers
danger to babies
danger to children
death from product
recalled cribs
recalled strollers
And You Mean To Tell Me They Don't Inspect Safety Issues For Baby Products?
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
November 26, 2009 8:18pm CST
Someone must definitely have there heads in their butts since we are now hearing of yet another major product with a major recall. Only recently I heard the news about the massive recall of the Stork Drop Down Baby Cribs--what's alarming about this, was the fact that way back in January of this year over 500,000 of these cribs were recalled due to the chance of a baby accidentally getting caught between the mattress and the drop down side of the crib, causing suffocation and death...Well it seems, the company STILL hasn't gotten its act together as another recall was issued. In fact the Consumer Product Safety Commission has been aware of this problem for the past decade and several babies have died as a result. These types of cribs were manufactured as far back as January 1993 up to the present and with over 5 MILLION of cribs were recalled all total. What is worse is that in a news broadcast I heard the other night, these cribs were never inspected for potential problems, and obviously still aren't as they are being continually sold. Most of these cribs are manufactured by the Stork Craft company but also have the Fischer Price logo.
Now some weeks ago, there was another recall...this time is was the Maclaren umbrella strollers in which young babies/children's fingers would get caught in the hinges and resulted in their fingers being amputated.
Now what I want to know in both cases, true safety inspections weren't conducted, two, these problems were known for a number of years, three, these products were recalled in the past yet still remain on the market...why don't they just take them off the market permanently?
What are your feelings about this? If a danger is present for a product especially for a baby, and they've been recalled, why are they still sold? Do you think someone is sleeping on their jobs?
Sources:
: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5752712n
: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09093.html
: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33787728/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33787728/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/
6 people like this
12 responses
@celticeagle (158483)
• Boise, Idaho
29 Nov 09
I think companies try to find as many ways to scrimp as they can so they can make more money. It is all about the bottom line. I think the consumer needs to do more research and pay better attention to what they are buying. If it is a new company, one you haven't heard of I would check to see if they have had any recalls in the past and what all they have going on. It pays in the long run because we can't really depend on companies to be repetable anymore.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Nov 09
True, if I were a parent I'd do some research before I bought my baby/child anything to make sure the product had no history of a recall. Also, just plain and simple, they don't make things as well anymore...they use cheaper components to construct things..no wonder years and years ago, just about everything lasted so much longer
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158483)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Dec 09
Oh ya, you are so right. I was looking for a nice couch afew years ago and just happened to be in a Antique store with my daugher. We found a beautiful couch in my favorite color and in great shape for a third of what I would have had to pay in a regular furniture store. My jaw has never come back up to normal position after that one! It is still a great couch and was about thirty years old ten years ago!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
28 Nov 09
Since the problem with the cribs was first known way back in 1993, you'd think the product would have been taken off the market then
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
27 Nov 09
I believe, pyewacket, that the expression, "follow the money" is appropriate here. It's simply that safety standards fly out of the window when there is a profit to be made. I agree that there have been far too many recalls of baby-related products which should have been removed from the market, but until the public raises a hue and cry little will be done to correct the situation.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
28 Nov 09
I just hate to think that more babies/children will have to suffer due to the negligence of these baby product manufacturers
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
27 Nov 09
Either they are sleeping or getting cash rewards for turning the other cheek! I heard about both of them too....back in the olden days they didn't do any inspecting but now days there are departments that are supposed to be the watchdogs for all of this....sleeping? Or bribery?
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
28 Nov 09
Of course too, things were made so much better than they are now...maybe there just plain wasn't a need to inspect products in general
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Nov 09
You would think the standards of testing products for babies/children would be so much stricter
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
27 Nov 09
I think that all of the products should be put through a rigorous safety test before they are even allowed on the market. Then, I think that they should be randomly retested to make sure that the original safety and quality of the product is being maintained, especially if there are additions or "improvements" to the product. If there is a recall on any product, then I think that all of those models affected should be pulled from the shelves, and either fixed or their parts recycled for new items if possible. I do not think that any products that have been recalled should be allowed back on the shelves until the defect or safety issue is not only resolved but also tested and proven safe a set number of times for each product, such as taking a dozen strollers and putting all twelve through rigorous testing and if even one is questionable, then the product should not be allowed back on the shelves until all issues are resolved.
When they had the recall for the lead-based paint, I went through all my little one's toys and checked to see whether or not they were on the list. If there was even a little doubt in my mind, for example it was a toy with the same manufacturer on the recall list and sounded similar to the toy being recalled but the picture (if there was one) did not look exactly like the one my little one had, then I threw the toy away anyways. I would rather be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to the health and safety of my children.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Nov 09
What was really surprising about those lead painted toys was that is was under a very reputable company, Mattel that has been around ever since I could remember...but then too, years ago, Mattel toys were actually made in the US...no more--in fact, I don't think any toys are made here anymore but places like China
All around I don't think enough testing is done across the board, meaning that even medications are either pulled off the market or severe warnings are attached to them...so even with meds, testing, testing, testing needs to be done over and over again--don't you think?
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
27 Nov 09
I definitely agree with that. I think that stricter testing should be done across the board, especially when the companies are importing their parts or products from other countries. I know that we have pretty strict standards in the United States, and I think that products made here are put through stricter and more numerous testing than products or parts that are imported. I think the imported items should be held to the same standards that products made here are held to, which would mean a lot more testing of the imported products. If these products consistently fail the testing, then the companies importing the products should have to pull the products off the shelves. Then, they should have to either import from another source that meets the quality standards and testing or hire employees and make the products here. That might serve not only to make products safer but also to boost the economy by bringing jobs back to the United States.
1 person likes this
@surfette (673)
• United States
27 Nov 09
When we used to manufacture our products right here in our country, the inspection process was quite strict. When our companies (with the familiar names that we used to be able to trust) decided that it was a better idea to manufacture in a country that did not require the inspections, no OSHA, no FDA, no Health & Safety, it all boils down to greed. I wouldn't deny anyone a profit, but when it is at the expense of our citizens, especially babies and children, it is time for the American people to say WAIT A MINUTE.
Our economy has suffered because of this greed. I feel that we all should refuse to buy this new "junk" and look for the items that were actually manufactured with safety in mind. It is time to start our own factories again, even if we have to pay a little more for the product because we will have jobs back.
We have been conditioned to accept lesser quality, but when the products become dangerous to the welfare of our little ones, we don't have to just take it. There is a manufacturer of hand made toy trains that can hardly keep up with orders because parents aren't going to buy that poisonous plastic junk made overseas. Time for people to start buying from the local manufacturers that are still here.
Just don't buy the "crappy stuff" and if the business goes out of business, maybe they will learn. Stand strong and don't support the greed.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Nov 09
Yes one never heard of all these recalls, not just baby/children's products but even pet foods years ago, because everything was made in our country. And yes, greed is involved since these overseas products are made cheap and sell cheap...but in some ways, we too have been at fault since we kind of expect to get things that are cheaper. The only thing I can think of is a total boycott of anything not made here...it would create more jobs for our people to manufacture things in factories here...but how many products ARE actually made here anymore. Almost every product you can think of, while under a US name is made elsewhere....like crap, can't we even make a simple thing like a light bulb anymore?
@AmbiePam (85199)
• United States
27 Nov 09
If I were a new parent, my head would be spinning. Cribs, toys, food, recalls and tampering, is there anything that involves children that won't harm them? Maybe parents who have more than one child have developed a kind of 'wisdom' that allows them to think ahead and see the problems with these items, but who in the world can imagine ALL the things that could go wrong. I have a dog, and I worry enough about recalls for his things. If I had a child I would be a mess.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
27 Nov 09
Why they weren't inspected to begin with is mind boggling. It should have started there to begin with. Next, when there is a recall, all companies that carry that product are sent faxes, letters, warnings, websites to check and books sent out,etc., so, the companies who are carrying these products are at fault. Someone isn't doing their job (what else is new), and taking the products off the shelfs and sent back. There are usually people assigned to this position and they are suppose to check frequently for this type of problem.
When I worked for a re-sale shop for children, we were constantly checking for updates on re-calls before we even took in a crib or stroller. It was a priority.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Nov 09
You would think if anything needed to be inspected for safety it would be items for babies and children--I mean what are they waiting for? More innocent babies to suffer?
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
27 Nov 09
I don’t get why when the products are tested and the faults are found the item is not been taken off the market immediately. Why does it take a child getting hurt before the faults are picked up? How can anyone with a conscience allow the effected products to continue to be sold? It is very confusing to me how there is knowledge of a concern with a product for years and although recalled the item is still on the shelves...Weird...And dangerous!
1 person likes this
@youngpatrol (425)
• United States
27 Nov 09
I can't figure out why people even buy the new cribs. My wife used a 50 year old crib for our kids. Back then things were made right so they were safe. But these big companies don't care about people. They only care about the money. What makes this really bad is that the big companies mess up and still keep selling these things without them going through a real inspection, yet if you made the item at home to sell you would have to pay about $5000 to have it inspected before it could be sold. Yet big companies can get away without having to pay fees, and without having items inspected for safety.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
28 Nov 09
Yes years and years ago things were made so much better than now...things were made to last...I think a lot has to do with the throw away mentality people have developed over the years, and of course this is due to products made with cheaper materials that don't last as long. And yes, I've heard about that insane business where if one makes crafts of any kind, they not only have to be inspected but one has to pay hefty fees for it
@GeminiBunniee (93)
• Canada
27 Nov 09
I don't think there is a way to stop this. Humans makes mistakes. We can try to correct them by lots of inspections but there is really no way to end this absolutely. I bet no matter who it is....if they have to inspect 300 products perday, they're going to get tired and miss something. Plus most inspections are by random choice...they just pick one out of a batch. However, if there's a problem with one, they will recall all. This efficiency is what allow us to buy things at the prices that they are. Or else things will be so much more expensive. To compete with the market, some companies might even skip inspections to maintain their survival on the market. I think its important that parents check what they buy, because changing the companies is next to impossible.
I mean years back there was hardly any law about this sort of things. To call their merchandise back is already an improvement.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Nov 09
Yes but the thing is, these products were already recalled for safety hazards and the problem was know as far back as 1993, so why is the exact same product put out in the market again with no improvements? As far as cost issues, I think any parent would be willing to pay a lot more for a safe product, than the cheaper products that aren't made well.
