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New Crib Rules Effective June 2011
The Consumer Product and Safety Commission issued new rules for crib safety last December which take effect this June–the biggest change is no more drop sides. From now on both crib sides will be stationary like European cribs:
“[T]he mandatory crib standards will: (1) stop the manufacture and sale of dangerous, traditional drop-side cribs; (2) make mattress supports stronger; (3) make crib hardware more durable; and (4) make safety testing more rigorous.”
The rules start rolling out in June with crib manufacturers and retailers, and allow 2 years for compliance by child care centers, hotels and other facilities providing cribs:
“Effective June 2011, cribs manufactured, sold, or leased in the United States must comply with the new federal standards. Effective 24 months after the rule is published, child care facilities, such as family child care homes and infant Head Start centers, and places of public accommodation, such as hotels and motels, must have compliant cribs in their facilities.”
The CPSC believes that most drop side cribs are less safe than fixed side cribs and lists manufacturers issuing recalls and providing immobilizers for drop sides. They also created a Questions & Answers page to explain the regulations in more detail.
Safer cribs are a great thing, the only challenge will be reaching over the rail to get older babies and toddlers out of the cribs when the mattresses are at the lowest settings. Be careful of your lower back!
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