Lifespan of Durable Juvenile Products

June 29, 2009

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Cribs Built To Last

By The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Asssocition

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) actively promotes the safe use and selection of juvenile products. Recent media reports notwithstanding, durable products such as cribs are intended to last for years (or multiple births) when properly cared for.

JPMA believes that instead of alarming parents, we should work together to educate them about the importance of the proper use, assembly and reassembly of cribs and how to provide the safest sleep environment for a child.

The opinions expressed in this piece are the author’s and do not necessarily represent those of Product Safety Forum.

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All new cribs on the market today meet minimum government requirements. When you assemble a crib to the manufacturer's instructions and use it properly, a crib provides a safe and comfortable environment for baby. For added assurance that the crib you purchase was built with safety in mind, look for the JPMA Certification Seal and know that crib went through an extra set of rigorous testing.

Crib manufacturers today go through great lengths to ensure instructions are easy to read and understand. In fact, most instructions include information on assembly, maintenance, cleaning, storage and use.

JPMA suggests the following safety tips to sustain the proper lifespan of your crib:

Infants should ALWAYS sleep in a crib, which meets current Federal and ASTM standards.
Make sure there are no missing, loose, broken, or improperly installed screws, brackets or other hardware on the crib or the mattress support. Helpful tip: Crib assembly is best completed before the baby arrives to ensure there are no missing parts and the crib is in working order.
Read and follow all instructions and warnings provided with the crib. If the instructions are not clear or parts are missing, call the manufacturer or retailer. Under no circumstances should substitute or makeshift hardware be used.
When disassembling crib for storage, retain all the parts and instructions. Helpful tip: store parts and instructions in a Ziploc® bag and tape to the bottom of the crib.
When reassembling crib, be sure you have all the parts.
Do not substitute hardware.
Always send in the product registration card that comes with every new crib (most crib manufacturers offer this service online as well). By returning the card, you ensure you'll be notified if your crib is recalled.
Check your crib often for missing hardware, loose screws or anything out of the ordinary. Helpful tip: Make it part of the routine to inspect the crib every time you change the sheet.

JPMA is pleased to note that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recognizes the importance of urging parents and caregivers to closely inspect the hardware and stability of their cribs to ensure all parts are in place and secure when assembling and re-assembling cribs.

Voluntary recalls to replace missing parts for secondhand or second use cribs highlight the importance of proper assembly and use of cribs. Many older cribs do not meet all current safety standards. Even if you are on a tight budget, you should not purchase an old crib at a garage sale or accept a hand-me-down that does not meet current Federal and ASTM standards.

For tips on how to keep baby safe, including a list of JPMA Certified cribs, please visit www.jpma.org.

Editor's Note: This article is in response to the May 29 piece, Crib Safety at a Crossroads, by Nancy Cowles of Kids in Danger.