The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. (Build-A-Bear), of St. Louis, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $600,000. The penalty settlement agreement has been provisionally accepted by the Commission.
The settlement resolves CPSC staff allegations that Build-A-Bear failed to immediately report a defect involving its toy bear beach chair that resulted in incidents and injuries to consumers. The sharp edges of the chair's folding wooden frame can pinch, lacerate or amputate a child's fingertip if the finger is caught between the frame as the chair is folded.
Build-A-Bear sold the beach chairs through its website and at Build-A-Bear stores between March 2001 and October 2008. The company became aware of 10 reports of injury between July 2007 and January 2009, yet did not report to the Commission until March 2009.
Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report to CPSC within 24 hours after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect, which could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or fails to comply with any consumer product safety rule or any other rule, regulation, standard or ban enforced by CPSC.
CPSC and Build-A-Bear announced a recall of about 260,000 beach chairs in May 2009.
In agreeing to the settlement, Build-A-Bear denies CPSC staff allegations as to the existence of a defect or hazard or that it violated the law.
Without pillow
Blue, lime, fuchsia |
With pillow
Fuchsia, red, pink |
Stripe design
Fuchsia/white stripe
Orange/white stripe
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Toy chair with stuffed animal
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 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.