The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued an updated safety standard regarding infant swings in the wake of hundreds of dangerous product reports. An important part of protecting consumers in America is updating safety standards for the many products with which we come into contact every day. Defective products may cause serious injury and could lead to significant damages. A New York product liability attorney can help recover expenses.
Between May 2011 and May 2012, the CPSC received 351 reports of incidents involving problems with infant swings occurring from 2009 to 2012. Of those 351, two reports were of fatalities caused by the swings.
This data inspired members of the CPSC to vote unanimously to approve a new federal mandatory safety standard for infant swings.
New Standard Requirements
The new safety standard includes several requirements for the manufacturing of infant swings. Those requirements are:
- more direct and strong warning label to prevent slump-over deaths, which commonly occur when infants are 0-4 months old and are not yet capable of holding up their heads on their own;
- reliable stability test to prevent the swings from tipping over;
- strength test to prevent accidental folding of the frame;
- tests ensuring the restraint systems properly prevent slippage and will not break when used;
- ensuring that the cradle swing surface is relatively flat at all times, whether it is still or in motion;
- electric swings must be tested for battery leakage or overheating/fire risk;
- toy mobiles should not detach from their frames when pulled; and
- tests involving dynamic and static loads to ensure that swing will not break and the infant will not fall, whether the infant is swinging or sitting still.
What to Do if You Have Been Injured by a Defective Product
If you have been injured by or lost a loved one to a dangerous product, such as an infant swing that does not meet the new federal safety requirements, you may be able to file an injury claim against the product manufacturer. Contact a product liability attorney at Gacovino, Lake & Associates for a free consultation regarding product liability for a defective or dangerous product. Call us at 1-800-246-4878.
