Recalling Products that Pose Choking Hazards

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), choking has long been the leading cause of toy-related deaths among young children.  In fact, there are more juvenile product recalls caused by choking hazards than by lead paint.

Toy manufacturers, distributors and retailers involved with children’s clothing and toys, and trade associations for this industry, have to pay more attention these days to CPSC regulatory actions relating to toy safety, especially those involving choking hazards.

Parents have typically paid attention to keeping marbles, small balls and coins out of the reach of small children, but many toy and jewelry items marketed to children also have small pieces that can detach and cause a choking hazard.  The eyes of stuffed animals, bracelet charms, even decorations attached to children’s shoes can end up in the hands and mouths of children. When these choking hazards are reported and children are injured, the CPSC can order a product recall.

In addition to educating consumers, the re-invigorated CPSC is clamping down on manufacturers, imposing more rigorous testing requirements and tougher penalties and fines for companies that do not comply.

Recall procedures from the CPSC require companies to have a recall execution plan in place. The agency will monitor the entire recall process, and then measure recall effectiveness when it determines all products that pose choking hazards are safely removed from store shelves.