On behalf of Smiley & Smiley, LLP posted in Defective Products on Friday, May 24, 2013.

When a young man or woman becomes a parent for the first time, the experience can be overwhelming. Suddenly the simplest things, like the corner of a countertop or grapes that have not been diced can become potentially harmful threats to the tiny people new parents are now responsible for. Too often, parents take the safety of toys, furniture, clothing and other items designed specifically for children for granted as safe objects. However, many of these items are actually defective consumer products.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is currently working on several fronts to make infant, toddler and child products safer. A spokesperson recently advised parents that generally, “Newer means safer.” This is because the commission has been working to revise safety standards and mandate that manufacturers follow them.

As a result, it is generally inadvisable for parents to buy used cribs, car seats and other baby equipment. Many older models are hazardous and should be avoided. Many thrift and consignment stores will not even sell used baby equipment for this reason. Rather than buying used, parents should research newer models of each product, given that the cheaper new models are often just as safe as the more expensive ones due to CPSC mandates.

Parents who have questions about the safety of any child product can check out several federal and non-profit websites devoted to testing, rating and generally exploring the safety of these items. It is often difficult to keep children safe. However, doing research on child products before you buy them can certainly aid you in your efforts.

Source: DelawareOnline, “CPSC updates safety rules for children's products,” Jayne O’Donnell, May 4, 2013

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