U.S. CPSC Bunk Bed Safety Standards Effective Monday, June 19

Furniture World News

Effective 6/19/2000, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission requires mandatory safety standards for all bunk beds manufactured or sold in the United States, including new requirements for guard rails, openings, labeling and a warning against placing children under six years old in the upper bunk. Pictured is a bunk bed, which is in full compliance with the new requirements, made by Fort Worth, Texas-based Cargo Furniture (www.cargohome.com), a leading manufacturer of children's furniture. Cargo Furniture Endorses New Mandatory Child Safety Standards Cargo Furniture announced that it fully supports the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission's implementation of a mandatory federal safety standard for children's bunk beds. The commission voted last December to move from a voluntary safety standard to mandatory safety requirements, which go into effect Monday, June 19, 2000. Fort Worth, Texas-based Cargo Furniture, the leading designer, retailer and wholesaler of children's furniture and accessories, said that the new standards will help to assure the safety of the hundreds of thousands of children who sleep in bunk beds in the United States. Cargo Furniture products have met or exceeded the voluntary standards for more than a decade. "I am thrilled that the CPSC has taken the initiative to make safety standards mandatory throughout the industry," said Lisa Thornton, president of Cargo Furniture. "As a mother, I know how important the issue of child safety is to parents. This action by the CPSC will now hold all manufacturers accountable and help prevent such senseless fatalities associated with bunk beds." Since 1990, the CPSC has received reports of nearly 60 children who have died as a result of being trapped in a bunk bed. Voluntary guidelines were issued in 1992 to address the entrapment hazard associated with bunk beds. Thornton said these guidelines were not nearly as stringent as the new CPSC mandatory standards. As of today, the new standards require all bunk beds manufactured or imported for sale in the United States to feature: Continuous guardrail on the wall side of beds that are taller than 30 inches. Openings less than 3.5 inches on the structure of the upper bunk and openings in the lower bunk that are either small enough to prevent passage of a child's head or torso, or large enough to permit the free passage of both the head and torso. An identifying label affixed with manufacturer, model and mattress size information. A warning label advising against placing children under 6 years of age in the upper bunk. The mandatory federal standards will grant the Consumer Products Safety Commission the ability to hold manufacturers, retailers and distributors accountable. The Commission will have the right to seek civil penalties against manufacturers that do not comply with the mandatory standards and stop shipment of non-complying beds made by foreign manufacturers at the docks before they reach retail stores. "These standards underscore Cargo's emphasis on safety," Thornton said. "We have always encouraged moms and dads to consider the four S's when shopping for children's furniture: sleep, study, storage and, most importantly, safety. We have used full-length guardrails on our beds for nearly 18 years, as well as taken other measures to ensure the safety of the children who sleep in Cargo bunk beds. Our customers know they can trust the Cargo brand." Cargo Furniture Inc., a division of Tandycrafts, Inc. (NYSE: TAC), is a designer, retailer and wholesaler of children's furniture, accessories and casual lifestyle furniture. The company's products are sold through 22 company owned stores, a nationwide network of 110 dealers, contract sales and a toll-free ordering division. Additional information on Cargo -- including product photos - and a store and dealer locator are available on the company's website at http://www.cargohome.com .