Government Bans Drop Side Cribs!

Hmmmmmm! It was interesting to read this morning in the Chicago Sun Times the headline news article "After Dozens of Deaths, Drop Sided Cribs Outlawed". The fact that they are now outlawed is a new twist to an old problem. This issue has been around and known to manufacturers for at least three years now.

About a year ago I was a Regional Maintenance Technician for a company named Bright Horizons Family Solutions. I had held the position for about three years. During that time I had repaired many drop sided cribs in the infant class rooms. They all had the same problem. The plastic retainer at the bottom of the crib side, would break, and this would create the condition that has been attributed to the some 33 infant deaths in the US. I would order the new parts from the manufaturer, replace them and they were good to go, until the next time they broke. The reason they break is a poor design in the mechanism to raise and lower the side.

One day while I was at a Walmart store, I noticed that they had posted a recall notice for their drop side cribs because of this problem. I asked the manager if I could have a copy of the notice, and explained why. I then faxed it to my boss and also to the corporate safety director, followed with an email. I also contacted the company supplier and asked about a recall of the cribs. All of this fell on deaf ears. No one followed up, no one issued any warnings or notices to any of the day care centers in other regions, NOTHING!

These cribs are in use today in Bright Horizons locations and centers throughout the US and probably in their European locations too. The interesting part is that the Government has banned the manufacture, sale and resale of these cribs. The sad part of this directive is that they (the Consumer Product Safety Commission) are giving all of the day care centers ONE YEAR to replace them.

Let me make perfectly clear I understand the directive. Kids are in danger, deaths could occur, and the cribs are actively in use today, BUT the day care centers have one year to remedy the problem. How many children will be injured during that one year period?

There is however, a simple fix to the problem that any qualified maintenance person can do, or anyone else that is handy. This fix should be fully acceptable to all governmental agencies etc. All it takes is a drill, four screws and a saw. You see, the other side of the crib is stationary and DOES NOT rise up and down, because the side is affixed to the head board and foot board permanently with long screws. The problem with a fix of this type is from the teachers point of view. "They cannot reach in to pick up the infant because the side is to high." ENTER THE SAW simply cut off the legs by about four inches, and reinstall the wheels on the legs. PROBLEM SOLVED.

I doubt that any of the day care centers will follow this advice, but if you have one of these cribs at home, feel free to fix the problem once and for all!