State sets drop-side crib ban for June

New York has now put a ban on drop-side cribs, and the ban will become nationwide as of June following a vote by the U.S. Consumer Production Safety Commission (CPSC).
Prior to this vote, the last time federal crib standards were updated was 30 years ago.
“Enough is enough. Time and time again, drop-side cribs have trapped and suffocated infants, destroying families across the country,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “These products are deadly, and this critically needed action will prevent further senseless deaths by ensuring they never reach another home, nursery room, store, or day cater center.”
Through the new federal standards, drop-side cribs will no longer be sold, resold, manufactured or distributed. In addition, these cribs will not be allowed in hotels, motels or childcare facilities.
“Drop-side hardware is prone to break or deform during normal use, which can allow the drop side to detach from the crib in one or more corners,” explained Mindy A. Bockstein, the chairperson and executive director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board. “If an infant or toddler moves into the space created by a partially detached drop side, the child can become entrapped or wedged between the mattress and the railing and suffocate. Infants can also strangle in the ‘V’ shape formed by a drop side that detaches in an upper corner.”
Bockstein also said that “drop-side detachments in cribs made by various manufacturers have caused or been related to 32 infant and toddler suffocation and strangulation deaths, as well as hundreds of additional incidents.”
The new standards will also allow for stronger mattress supports and sturdier crib hardware. There will also be “more rigorous” compliance testing.
“After nearly 30 years, these new crib safety rules will usher in a new generation of safer cribs,” said CPSC Chair Inez Tenenbaum. “I believe that a safe crib is the safest place for a baby to sleep and our actions today will help parents have confidence in the safety of cribs they buy in the future.”
Bockstein said that parents and caregivers still need to be vigilant, particularly since older drop-side cribs are still in use. More information about crib safety is available at www.nysconsumer.gov.