Health Canada Recalls Stork Craft Baby Cribs
Voluntary Recall Affects Nearly One Million Cribs in North America
Jan 15, 2009
The metal brackets used to attach the mattress base to the sides of the crib can crack and break if they have been subjected to stress during improper installation, making the cribs unsafe. If more than one of the brackets breaks, the mattress can collapse, creating a gap between the mattress and the rails in which infants can become trapped and injured.
Health Canada encourages parents to check the metal brackets for any signs of damage or wear, such as cracks, breaks, or chips, and if the crib appears unsafe, to find an “alternative, safe sleeping environment” for their children. For more information about safe sleeping for infants, see Health Canada's resources for parents on crib safety and safe sleeping practices.
Stork Craft Issues a Voluntary Recall and Offers Free Replacement Kit
On its website, Health Canada indicates that the cribs meet current safety standards and that Stork Craft is issuing this recall voluntarily as a precaution. According to Stork Craft, even though the cribs meet or exceed international safety standards, they recently switched to a heavier bracket in the design of the cribs “to make the product the best it can be.”
The company is offering the new brackets in a free replacement kit. Parents should check the label affixed to the mattress base for the date of manufacture and the model number of their cribs and contact Stork Craft by phone at (866)361-3321 or via the Internet at Storkcraft.com to request a kit.
No Serious Injuries Reported
Health Canada reports that it has received only one complaint of the failure of the metal support brackets; no injuries were reported in that case. In the United States, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received reports of 10 incidents where the brackets broke, resulting in one toddler receiving bruises to his forehead and one child becoming entrapped in the gap with no serious injury.
The recall affects approximately 494,000 cribs in Canada and 535,000 in the United States. The cribs were manufactured in Canada, China, and Indonesia and were sold at chain stores such as Wal-Mart, Sears, Toys’r’us, The Bay, and J.C. Penney.
Previous Recalls of Stork Craft Products
Stork Craft Products have been the subject of two other recent recalls by Health Canada. In 2006, 1,200 Sandra cribs were voluntarily recalled because the openings in the spindles were wide enough that a child could potentially become entrapped. In that case, the company offered free replacement end boards.
In 2005, 2,200 Stork Craft toy boxes were voluntarily recalled because the lid support could fail, causing the lid to drop suddenly and cause a strangulation hazard. Free replacement lids were offered to consumers to resolve that issue.
Resources used in this article
Health Canada. “Recall Notice: Stork Craft Baby Cribs.” January 2009. Accessed January 15, 2009.
Schmidt, Sandra. “Richmond’s Stork Craft cribs recalled for Safety Hazard.” Vancouver Sun. 14 Jan. 2009.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Stork Craft Recalls More Than 500,000 Cribs; Mattress Support Bracket Failures Create Risk of Entrapment and Suffocation.” 13 Jan. 2009. Accessed January 15, 2009.
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