| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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| February 25, 1974 |
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| Release # 74-013 |
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CPSC Warns Of Toy Chest Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C.(Feb. 25) --The Consumer Product Safety Commission today urged purchasers of a particular toy chest to return the chests to the retailer where they were purchased for a full refund.
The toy chests, manufactured by the Jackson Furniture Corporation, Jackson, Tenn., were sold by 40 retailers, including Sears, Roebuck and Company, who sold the chest through its catalog.
Tile action came after the chests were reportedly associated with the death of one child and serious injury to another in separate incidents. The accidents apparently resulted from the children's heads being caught between the front of the case and the top of the chest.
Some 13,000 of the chests were manufactured by Jackson Furniture, and 95 percent were sold through the Sears catalog during the past four years. The Consumer Product Safety Commission believes most of these are still in the hands of consumers.
The CPSC notified Jackson Furniture Corporation and Sears last November 7 that the chest was involved in the accidents. The death occurred September 3, 1973, and the serious injury January 1972. Jackson discontinued production, and Sears took the items off sale November 21. Jackson issued a national announcement on November 26 advising its retailers to take the chest off sale.
The Sears chests can be identified by their padded 3-inch top and come in three colors--yellow, orange, and walnut finish-- with a side print design of lambs and daisies. The Sears catalog listed the chest under model numbers 88063, 88064, and 88065.
Sears will continue to refund the full price of the chest in accordance with company policy. A redesigned chest with a lighter and flat lid is now being sold in the Sears catalog. This redesigned chest is not involved in the above action.
The Jackson Furniture Corporation, who sold similar chests to 39 other retailers, stated that it will refund the full wholesale price to retailers for return of the chests.
The chests are identical in construction to the Sears chests except for a pale yellow metal frame with sides and top decorations in a series of white, green, and yellow circles and star patterns.
The name of Jackson Furniture Corporation is located on a fixed tag inside the chest. The chests are listed by Stock No. 9023 which is stamped on the packing carton but not on the chest itself.
The CPSC has commended Sears and the Jackson Furniture Corporation for their action.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov
CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.