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CPSC Cracking Down on Defective Children’s Clothing That Can Cause Strangulation Hazards

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is cracking down hard on manufacturers of children’s clothing, especially outerwear that comes with drawstrings. These garments can pose a serious strangulation hazard to children. The agency has found that in spite of strict standards for the manufacture of such clothing, companies continue to import, distribute and sell children’s clothing that come with a serious risk of strangulation and choking.

The CPSC agency unearthed the violations of safety standards during a sweep last month that revealed dozens of violations by many manufacturers. The recent crackdown is part of a series of efforts by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to deal strictly with manufacturers who violate safety codes. In 2006, the Consumer Product Safety Commission sent a letter to children’s clothing manufacturers, warning them that if their products were found to be in violation of safety codes, they would be deemed defective products.

In spite of that letter, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says that it has frequently found hooded sweatshirts and other outerwear that come with drawstrings freely available in the market. According to a representative of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it is “inexcusable” that manufacturers and retailers continue to openly violate guidelines that have been laid down for children’s clothing. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been too many instances of strangulation and near-death incidents involving drawstrings on children’s clothing.

One of those deaths occurred in California in 2009 when a three-year-old boy from Fresno was killed when he strangled on the drawstring of his sweatshirt. The child was apparently playing on the playground set when the drawstring on his sweatshirt became tangled in the playground equipment, strangling him to death. Drawstrings getting caught in playground equipment is one of the most common methods of strangulation involving these garments. After the death, the Consumer Product Safety Commission acted quickly to place pressure on California-based Hills Sportswear Inc. to recall its hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings.

Drawstrings on hooded sweatshirts for children are banned in other countries in the world. This includes in Europe where governments can simply order these garments out of stores. Consumer Product Safety Commission investigators have observed that many companies simply prefer to store these garments until they’re back in season again.

The agency has acted swiftly to place pressure on manufacturers to recall these defective garments. In February alone, there were close to six recalls linked to hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings. Out of those six recalls, at least four were linked to the Burlington Coat Factory.  According to Burlington Coat Factory, it is taking steps to prevent hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings from appearing on its store floors again. Part of those efforts includes training store buyers to avoid purchasing such defective and dangerous garments.

California product liability lawyers have been very encouraged at the strict action taken by the Consumer Product Safety Commission against these retailers and companies.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of product liability. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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