Badger Basket

Washington, DC -- In cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Badger Basket Company of Edgar, Wisconsin, announced a voluntary repair program for certain bassinets produced prior to 1982, due to the possible collapse of their leg braces. Bassinets produced after 1982 incorporate a leg brace of another design and are not affected.

The Commission and Badger have investigated 7 instances in which the braces connecting the foldable legs to the bassinet collapsed. The Commission believes that serious injury can occur to an infant resting in the bassinet, if the leg brace were to collapse.

The bassinets are wicker in style and the mattress pads may contain the name Badger Basket on the tag which says "Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law". Only those bassinets produced and sold prior to 1982 are affected. Satisfactory design changes were implemented by the firm in 1982. Additionally, production after 1983 contains a date code (indicating the month, day, and year of production) on the bottom of the bassinets which clearly distinguish the new-style leg brace from the old (See drawings below).

An estimated 500,000 bassinets may have been produced from 1958 to 1982. While the staff does not believe all pose a risk injury, depending upon the amount of the use, the potential may exist for a leg brace failure.

Owners of the Badger Bassinets are urged to take the following action:

During use of the bassinet, ensure that leg braces are locked in the open position. Periodically check the leg braces especially if the bassinet has not been used for a time and has been folded up in storage.

Consumers who own Badger Bassinets produced prior to 1982 should contact the Company for a free repair kit. To obtain the free locking rings and instructions for installation, owners should send the tag that reads "Under Penalty of Law This Tag Is Not To Be Removed Except By The Consumer" from the mattress pad identifying Badger Basket with their name and address to Badger Basket Company, Edgar, Wisconsin 54426. If the Law Tag has been removed, contact the firm for a drawing of affected leg braces to assist you in the identification of leg braces which should be repaired.

SOME BADGER BASSINETS MAY NEED REPAIR KITS. Badger bassinets produced before 1982 may collapse due to failure of the leg brace, so the firm is providing looking rings to correct the problem. Consumers should remove the mattress label "Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law," and send to Badger Basket Company, Eager, Wisconsin 54426, together with name and address for free repair kit. Bassinets produced after 1982 do not have the problem, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Under laws administered by CPSC, an estimated 325 million potentially hazardous products have been called back from the marketplace and consumers since 1937 (when CPSC was created). Most of these were voluntarily recalled by manufacturers who established programs to repair or replace the products, or to refund the purchase price.​

During use of the bassinet, ensure that leg braces are locked in the open position. Periodically check the leg braces especially if the bassinet has not been used for a time and has been folded up in storage.

The Commission and Badger have investigated 7 instances in which the braces connecting the foldable legs to the bassinet collapsed.