A detailed investigation by the Chicago Tribune asks this troubling question about last week’s Simplicity’s crib recall: did the CPSC bungle the investigation into these dangerous cribs?
Among the questions and points raised by the Tribune:
• The "sluggish and understaffed" CPSC waited TWO and a HALF YEARS from the time the first death was reported until it ordered a recall of the suspect cribs.
• The CPSC investigator failed to realize that Simplicity was making cribs under license from Graco (one of the crib deaths happened in a Graco-licensed crib). Yes, it’s not like that info isn’t printed in a book somewhere . . . like page 89 of our book.
• Only after the Chicago Tribune started to connect the dots did the CPSC move to recall the cribs. As usual, Simplicity blamed consumers for the problem (improper assembly). Hmmm, that does that sound familiar. Can anyone say E-v-e-n-f-l-o?
Our take: the CPSC is clearly not doing its job—-and that’s putting the children at risk. Congress needs to beef up the CPSC’s staff and budget—and perhaps change the law to enable the agency to swiftly recall dangerous products.
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In an article I read, the CPSC staff is somewhat demoralized right now due to lack of funding and resources. Not that that’s any excuse, but it does seem like we need to write our politicians about funding it better.
Isn’t this the second major crib Simplicity has had in the last 10 years? Doesn’t sound like a good track record.
In an article I read, the CPSC staff is somewhat demoralized right now due to lack of funding and resources. Not that that’s any excuse, but it does seem like we need to write our politicians about funding it better.
Isn’t this the second major crib Simplicity has had in the last 10 years? Doesn’t sound like a good track record.