WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To prevent deaths and injuries to children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a new federal mandatory standard to improve the safety of bassinets and cradles.  The vote was 4 to 1.

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The new federal standard incorporates provisions in the voluntary standard (ASTM F2194-13), Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Bassinets and Cradles. CPSC staff recommended five modifications to F2194-13 standard. These modifications address risks not adequately covered by the voluntary standard. The modifications include:

1. a clarification of the scope of the bassinet/cradle standard;
2. a change to the pass/fail criterion for the mattress flatness test;
3. an exemption from the mattress flatness requirement for bassinets that are less than 15 inches across;
4. the addition of a removable bassinet bed stability requirement; and
5. a change to the stability test procedure, requiring the use of a newborn CAMI dummy rather than an infant CAMI dummy.

CPSC received notice of 426 incidents involving bassinet/cradles, including 132 fatalities from November 2007 through March 2013.

The new standard defines "bassinet/cradle" as a small bed designed primarily to provide sleeping accommodations for infants, supported by free standing legs, a stationary frame or stand, a wheeled base, a rocking base, or swing relative to a stationary base. In a stationary (non-rocking or swinging) position, a bassinet/cradle is intended to have a sleep surface less than or equal to 10 degrees from horizontal.

A bassinet/cradle is not intended to be used beyond the age of about 5 months or when a child is able to push up on his hands and knees. Bassinet and cradle attachments for non-full-size cribs or play yards are considered to be part of the bassinet/cradle category, as are bedside sleepers that can be converted to four-sided bassinets not attached to a bed.

The effective date for the mandatory bassinet/cradle standard is 6 months after the final rule is published in the Federal Register. Manufacturers are allowed an additional 12 months to comply with the provision for removable bassinet beds.

Statement of Commissioner Nancy Nord

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction.  Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to help ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.

Media Contact Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests. Phone: (301) 504-7908 Spanish: (301) 504-7800 Link Text: View CPSC contacts for specific areas of expertise

CPSC Consumer Information HotlineUse this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)Times: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytimeHotline can be used to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

RELATED LINKShttp://www.cpsc.gov