Federal standards now in effect for cribs

Federal standards now in effect for cribs

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As of Tuesday, new federal safety standards will make selling certain cribs illegal in the United States. Everyone from yard sale organizers to mass manufacturers must adhere to the law, or else they could face civil penalties.

The new standards make the sale of drop-side cribs illegal. All other cribs are to be tested by independent labs for durability, mattress and slat support strength and must have warnings that instruct parents about when (age-wise) children should be using cribs.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois, sponsored the original legislation.

“The fact that children have been injured or killed by these types of products and accidents that were 100 percent preventable is unconscionable,” Schakowksy said.

Schakowsky introduced the Infant Toddler Durable Product Safety Act in 2001. Provisions of the bill were then incorporated into the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act which was signed into law by President George Bush in 2008.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Tuesday the enforcement of these laws will be challenging. She said her office will continue to search stores, as well as websites like Craigslist for noncompliant cribs.

The law does not make it illegal for parents to use already purchased or hand-me-down cribs that are not compliant with new standards.