The Pottery Barn Kids chain, owned by parent company Williams-Sonoma, Inc., announced a recall of one of its popular crib bumper sets near the end of this past May. The recall of Sweetie Lambie Bumpers, involves approximately 12,000 units sold in the United States, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Photos of the recalled crib bumpers can be viewed by following the link to the CPSC website.
The bumpers were made of cotton, padded, and fitted for standard sized cribs. Embroidered lambs, grass and tress cover the inward and outward facing sides of the bumpers. The thread in the bumper’s decorative stitching can loosen, posing an entanglement hazard to infants.
Pottery Barn Recall Item Details:
Name: Sweetie Lambie Bumper
Models: 708859, 708917, 7988348
Manufacture Dates: 04/2009 to 07/2012
Reported Accidents and Other Details
Williams-Sonoma Inc. received two confirmed reports of the bumpers’ stitching coming loose and entangling small children. In one of the cases, the thread became wrapped around the child’s neck. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in connection with either of the occurrences.
Pottery Barn Kids will provide a full refund to anyone who purchased these bumpers or will send a safe replacement bumper, including all shipping costs. Consumers who purchased the Sweetie Lamb Bumper are asked to call Pottery Barn Kids at (855) 323-5138 between 7am and midnight (ET) or visit the Pottery Barn Kids safety recall link for further instructions.
Manufacturer Liability and Lawsuits
Any product sold in the United States places the burden of responsibility on its manufacturer or distributor to provide a safe product that will not endanger the health or welfare of the consumer. US based corporations who outsource manufacturing to China (such as Williams-Sonoma and many others) are responsible for the safety of these products once they hit store shelves.
The issue of consumer safety hits close to home for many Americans whenever a product defect poses a hazard to babies or children. Stories involving injuries or deaths in children resulting from defective products are rare, but tend to make national news headlines when they do occur.
If a child is injured by a defective product, a swift, high-profile lawsuit is almost certain to follow. The most common injuries in small children are related to choking. A child may swallow a small object or a baby can become ensnared by a crib component or accessory. Either scenario poses an asphyxiation hazard which can quickly lead to permanent brain damage or death. These rare, but severe cases can be devastating to a family and to the retailer’s brand reputation.
As a result of numerous recalls and lawsuits over the years, crib manufacturers have come a long way with quality control and design specifications to ensure the safety of small children and that trend is likely to continue for many other retailers and distributors of children’s products.
References:
Baby Center – https://www.babycenter.com/204_recalled-pottery-barn-kids-crib-bumpers_10382361.bc
Wall Street Journal Online – https://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130529-711216.html
