Last month, W&WP reported on five product safety recalls of furniture that were announced between Feb. 24 and April 5. The last was the massive recall of 592,000 TV/RTA carts by Sauder Woodwork of Archbold, OH, following 13 reports of these carts tipping over, including one that was implicated in the death of a 19-month-old girl.

• On April 13, Ethan Allen of Danbury, CT, began recalling 2,000 Ethan Allen Ryan and P.J. bunk beds following the reports of 22 incidents in which a “j” hook became dislodged, allowing the top bunk guardrail to slide or move out of position. Ethan Allen said it was not aware of any injuries and was notifying customers about the availability of free repair kits. The bunk beds, made in China, sold through Ethan Allen stores nationwide from June 2003 through December 2003 for between $1,150 and $1,350.

• On April 22, Ashley Furniture of Arcadia, WI, began recalling 22,476 Trails End, Cottage Retreat and Stages bunk beds. The gaps between parts of the bunk beds reportedly violate federal safety standards and can be entrapment or strangulation hazards for children. No injuries have been reported for the beds that sold nationally for around $299 to $699. The products were made in the USA and Brazil.

• On May 5, Casio Inc. of Dover, NJ, began recalling 18,000 wood piano benches following four reports of bracket assemblies failing, including one report of a consumer sustaining a fractured wrist when a bench collapsed. The benches, made in China, were sold nationwide between September 2003 and March 2004 for about $99. Consumers are requested to return the benches for a full refund.

• On May 13, Coaster Co. of America, Santa Fe Springs, CA, began recalling 22,000 metal bunk beds because a gap between the step of the built-in ladder and the top bunk poses a strangulation risk in violation of federal standards. No injuries were reported for the bunk beds that sold nationwide from June 2000 to February 2004 for between $150 and $250. The bunk beds were made in China; Coaster Co. is offering a free repair kit.

Nine Recalls & Counting
Furniture accounted for nine of the 95 product safety recalls listed on the CPSC Web site (www.cpsc.gov) through May 13. Because I could not recall a time when so many furniture-related recalls were issued in one short period, I searched the CPSC Web site for information to use for drawing comparisons.

A drop-down menu on the CPSC Web site includes an alphabetical list of some 373 product items ranging from “Adapter/Power Supply” to “Worm Probes,” an electric device used by fishermen to “shock” worms to the soil’s surface. Furniture-related categories include: “Beds,” “Bunk Beds,” “Chairs,” “Cribs,” “Patio Furniture,” and “Television Carts/Entertainment Centers.”

My search of these furniture-related categories revealed a combined nine recalls in all of 2003, eight in 2002, nine in 2001 and five in 2000. We’re not even half way through 2004, and furniture recalls have already matched the highest of any year in the new century.

How consumers use or misuse a product is beyond the control of the manufacturer. Products will malfunction and accidents will happen. This is nonetheless a disturbing trend, especially in instances where product designs have not conformed to federal safety guidelines.

It’s interesting to note that five of the nine recalls involved products made in China. It’s also interesting to note that the CPSC announced April 21 that it had signed a cooperative agreement with the Chinese government to improve safety of U.S. imports.

Safety Poster Child
Furniture has long been on the CPSC’s radar screen.

The most infamous furniture recall was initiated by Lane in 1996 and continues to this day. At least seven children’s deaths by suffocation, including one since the initial recall, have been linked to the company’s cedar chests manufactured between 1912 and 1987.

Lane has worked closely with the CPSC to try to locate owners of these chests and to provide them with new locks that will not automatically latch shut when the lid is closed.

No doubt, Lane executives look forward to the day when their company’s product no longer tops the list of “CPSC’s Most Wanted.” Try as they might, the problem of finding owners before any more injuries might occur is complicated by the vast number of units and years involved, and the fact that many of the chests have been resold.