The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a voluntary recall of Beco Baby Butterfly Carriers due to a potential fall hazard. Consumers are instructed to immediately discontinue use, since the buckles on the carrier can unexpectedly release tension and pose a fall hazard to the baby.

The recall affects approximately 2,000 carriers sold earlier this year. While no injuries have been reported, Beco has received reports of straps slipping through the buckles.

To learn more about this recall or to determine whether your carrier is affected by the recall, check out the CPSC press release here.

April 3, 2008: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) announced a voluntary recall of approximately 144,000 units of Children’s Sunglasses imported by StyleMark Inc., of Ormand Beach, FL. The recalled sunglasses have “Main Street Drag” characters on the bottom of one lens, and Style No. DI25K7116 is printed on the left temple.

According to CPSC, “Surface paint in the orange lettering on the temples of the sunglasses contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.”

The sunglasses were sold between October 2007 and March 2008 at stores nationwide.

For more information about the recall, check out the CPSC news release here.

March 25, 2008: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a voluntary recall of Backyard and Beyond Metal Water Bottles, distributed by Downeast Concepts Inc., of Yarmouth, ME. The recall affects model numbers 67402, 67404, 67442, 67444, 67742, 60442, 67744, 67746, 67748 and 60448 printed on the hang tag.

According to CPSC, “Surface paint on the metal water bottles contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.” Consumers are advised to discontinue use of the bottles.

The recall affects about 18,000 units.

For more information about the recall, check out the news release here.

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Note: Since last year, thousands of aluminum water bottles have been recalled for violations of the federal lead paint standard. However, not all aluminum bottles are affected by these recalls. For example, check out SIGG eco-friendly water Bottles.

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March 13, 2008: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a voluntary recall of Battat Magnabild Magnetic Building Systems (108-piece and 68-piece sets, item numbers BB1439H and BAT-34). This recall follows a January recall of other Battat Magnabild toys. Consumers are advised to immediately discontinue use unless otherwise instructed.

Small magnets inside the pieces pose a hazard to young children. According to CPSC, “If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal.” The recall affects approximately 7,000 units (plus 125,000 recalled earlier this year).

Although no injuries have been reported, CPSC and the manufacturer have learned of several instances of magnets coming out of the building pieces.

For further information about the recall, check out the CPSC news release here.

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Recall: Ellaroo Infant Sling Carriers
Making Project Time Safe

March 11, 2008: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a voluntary recall of Ellaroo Ring Sling Baby Carriers (item numbers 2101 and 2102 printed on the outside of the product box, lot numbers 03/07 and 07/04 printed on a label), manufactured by Ellaroo LLC, of McKinney, Texas.

According to CPSC, “The aluminum rings on the sling carriers can bend or break. This can cause the fabric to slip through the rings and infants to fall out of the carrier.”

The recall affects approximately 1,200 sling units. No injuries have been reported.

If you have a sling carrier affected by the recall, CPSC advises you to immediately discontinue use of the carrier and contact Ellaroo. For further information about this recall, check out the CPSC news release here.

March 3, 2008:  Combi USA, Inc. has announced a Voluntary Safety Recall of select Infant Car Seats:  Centre, Centre ARB and Shuttle Rear Facing Infant Restraints (Model numbers:  8065, 8074, 8086, 8087 and 8520 and associated Travel systems containing the Centre and Shuttle Model #4400, 4515, 4520).  Affected units were manufactured from October 19, 2005 to December 15, 2007.   

According to Combi USA, test data conducted by Combi USA, Inc., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada ”revealed that the seat of the restraint could potentially separate from its base.”

No actual instances of seat separation have been reported, but as many as 67,000 units are affected by this recall.   

Combi USA is offering a free retrofit kit to consumers.  For more information about the recall or to learn how to obtain the retrofit kit, check out the press release here.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of Rinnai Direct-Vent Wall Furnaces, due to the potential for carbon monoxide leaks. Approximately, 52,000 furnaces are involved in the recall. You can check out the news release here.

Given that it’s still winter–especially in New England–and many families rely on Rinnai generated heating (I’ve known several families who have a Rinnai Direct-Vent Furnace), this recall seems quite relevant here at blog.baby-wise.com. It’s also a reminder of the importance of having a properly functioning Carbon Monoxide Detector in your home. Even if you don’t have a Rinnai Furnace, a Carbon Monoxide detector is a home essential–right up there next to smoke detectors.

When it comes to taking care of your family, you can never be too careful.

The U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a voluntary recall of 12-Volt Electric Cinderella Ride-On Vehicles made by Dumar International USA.

According to CPSC, “The wires under the hood of the car and/or in the battery compartment under the seat can short circuit, posing a fire and burn hazard to children riding in the car.”

The recall affects approximately 64,000 units.

Several incidents of overheating have been reported, but no injuries have been reported. 

For more information, check out the CPSC News Release.

February 1, 2008: Evenflo has announced a voluntary safety recall of Discovery Infant Car Seats (Models 390, 391, 534, 552).

The recall arises from laboratory tests conducted by Evenflo and the National Highway Safety Administration. In high impact side collisions the car seat could potentially separate from its base.

According to Evenflo, as many as one million seats may be affected by the recall.

Evenflo is providing owners with a free fastener to ensure the seat remains attached to the base.

Click here to learn more about the safety recall or to find out how to obtain the free supplemental fastener.

Let’s make a project!  Without fail, that’s my preschooler’s predictable response to the question, ”so, what do you want to do today?”  Give her paper, scissors, glue, and crayons, and she’s one happy crafty camper.  She made the most adorable tissue art flower poster today, using green ric-rac for a flower stem, a button for the flower center, and scrunched up tissue paper for petals, thanks to ALEX art supplies.  If you aren’t familiar with ALEX products, you don’t know what you’re missing!  ALEX makes quality art supplies and kid pleasing games, like the cool and sturdy Jungle Bean Bag Toss.  I find it hard to resist buying ALEX.  I even gravitate to ALEX products when I need affordable, guaranteed to please gifts.

When it comes to art supplies for kids, safety is key, especially in this age of recalls.  Recently, I happened to stumble upon a blogger’s post about safe craft supplies for children.  Who knew that Wikki sticks are made in the U.S. and out of food grade wax?  Thanks for that tidbit Mamanista!

Knowing craft supplies are safe for my preschooler is important to me.  While I’m not so much worried about intentional consumption, like eating a crayon or licking glue, I am concerned about what she may touch and unintentionally ingest.  Remember the huge 2003 lead-laced sidewalk chalk recall, not to mention the wave of recent recalls? 

Children can ingest lead by coming into contact with products containing lead–i.e. touching the products.  The ingestion of lead is linked to behavioral problems, potentially dangerous blood levels, and learning disabilities, among other medical issues.  To learn more about product safety, check out the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website.

Obviously, the use of safe art supplies is crucial for making project time safe.  Good hand washing as part of clean-up time is also part of the equation, if anything, as a just-in-case precaution–but, then again, if you want to rid those sticky hands of glue, you’re probably planning to hit the sink anyway!

Do you have a tip to share for making project time safer?