Originally designed for use while camping, sleeping bags have gained popularity among children and are often used for sleepovers and parties. However, the construction or materials used in some sleeping bags may present a hazard to children.
Defective Sleeping Bags
Sleeping bags may be recalled for a variety of safety reasons. Sleeping bags may be recalled due to choking hazards presented by small pieces of hardware, entrapment hazards from drawstrings around the head area or faulty zippers, or excessive levels of lead used in the manufacturing of the product. If a sleeping bag does not meet with child safety standards as set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in its regulations for children’s products, it will be subject to recall.
Injury and Death Statistics Related to Sleeping Bags
The primary risks associated with sleeping bags exist from choking hazards and high lead content in the design and construction of the sleeping bag’s zipper.
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Choking
In 2000, 160 children under the age of 15 died from choking accidents, with 60 percent of those deaths caused by obstruction in the throat by a non-food object. More than 17,500 children under the age of 15 were seen in emergency rooms in 2001 for choking episodes unrelated to food items.
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Lead
High blood lead levels in children are linked to a number of neurological disorders and behavioral problems. A 2006 screening of 3 million children by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of found that 7.5 percent of the children tested had elevated blood lead levels.
Example of a Defective Sleeping Bag
An example of a defective sleeping bag that has been recalled is:
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Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” Sleeping Bag
In May 2008, the Disney Store of Pasadena, California, recalled the “Pirates of the Caribbean” sleeping bag because of high levels of lead in the paint on the sleeping bag’s zipper. Approximately 4,100 units of the sleeping bag were involved in this recall. The bag features the famous “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie in a cartoon design with Jack Sparrow and Davey Jones on the front side of the bag. The logo label inside the bag has style number F1652B003 printed on it. Not included in the recall is the sleeping bag that shows a skull design. The Disney “Pirates of the Caribbean” sleeping bag was manufactured in China and sold nationwide exclusively at Disney stores between April 2007 and October 2007.
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