Dressers Recalled For Child Safety Concerns
Two large retail giants well-known for their furniture sales, Target and Walmart, are recalling dressers after reports of the units tipping over and injuring consumers. First and foremost, the dressers posed serious child safety concerns.
Target has received a dozen reports that its Room Essentials four-drawer dressers are collapsing when not anchored to a wall, including two reports of the dressers tipping over onto 3-year-old children. To address concerns, the retail giant has issued a recall of the 180,000 models made, 175,000 of which were sold in the United States. An additional 3,000 were sold in Canada. The recall was announced on Wednesday, September 13th.
The Room Essentials dressers were sold between January 2013 and April 2016 and were available in three colors and model numbers — expresso ( model number 249-05-0106), maple (model number 249-05-0109) and black (model number 249-05-0103).
The U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission strongly suggests anyone who purchased the dresser to stop using it and return it to Target for an immediate refund of $118. “Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dresser that is not properly anchored to the wall and place it into an area that children cannot access,” the recall reads. “Consumers should return the recalled dresser to any Target store for a full refund.”
For more information, consumers with concerns can call Target toll-free at 800-440-0680 or visit the “Recalls” link at the company’s website.
Target’s dresser recall was announced just one week after Walmart announced a recall of its 1.6 million Ameriwood dressers for the same reason. Walmart’s announcement pertained to its Mainstays four-drawer dressers that sold between April 2009 and May 2016 for approximately $60. A statement reminded buyers that units can be unstable when not anchored, “posing serious tip-over and entrapment hazards that can result in death or injuries to children.” The drawers also failed to comply with performance requirements.
The Ameriwood model numbers affected included 5412012WP, 5412301WP, 5412328WP, 5412015WY, 5412301WY, 5412012PCOM, 5412015PCOM, 5412026PCOM, 5412213PCOM, 5412214PCOM, 5412301PCOM, 5412317PCOM, and 5412328PCOM. They come in six colors — alder, black forest, white, weathered oak, walnut and ruby red.
Ameriwood is offering a free repair kit that includes a wall anchoring device and feet to stabilize the dresser. Consumers can call Ameriwood toll-free at 877-222-7460 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit meriwood.come and click on “Support” for more information.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently launched a national public education campaign geared toward preventing television and furniture tip-overs from injuring children or resulting in death. The organization recommends that all top-heavy furniture be secured to a wall with brackets and tempting objects just as remotes and picture frames be removed from where children have access to them. Existing furniture can be anchored with inexpensive anti-tip brackets. New furniture, such as dressers, are sold with anti-tip devices. Heavy items should never be set on top of unsecured furniture, either. Tugging on a unit could cause these to fall off.
Sources:
Target Recalls Nearly 180,000 Dressers That Can Tip Over
1.6 Million Dressers Sold at Walmart Recalled for Tip-Over Risks
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