According to Chicago-based group Kids in Danger (KID), only 10% recalled children’s products were ever fixed or destroyed after the recall in 2012. KID, a nonprofit organization, released this information in their recent children’s product safety report After the Recall: Dangerous Products Remain in Homes. The report examines the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s children’s product recalls in 2012 and 2013, as well as the effectiveness of those recalls.

The KID Report Findings

Overall, the KID Report found that the number of children’s products recalls increased from 2012 to 2013 and although incidents and injuries reported decreased, deaths still increased by 22% from 2012.

KID Report findings state that, on average, it takes 13 reports of design defects and at least two injuries before companies recall children’s products.

Additional findings of the report included:

• There were a total of 1,566 incidents, 196 injuries, and 11 deaths reported before the recall was issued in 2013.
• Children’s clothing and nursery products account for over half of all the products recalls and over half (52%) of the reported injuries in 2013.
• Furniture was involved in four out of the eleven deaths reported in 2013. The other seven deaths were related to nursery products.
• There were a total of 584 incidents and 39 injuries reported after the recall of 2012 children’s products.

How Manufacturers Can Improve Recall Effectiveness

KID hopes this new data will bring recall effectiveness directly to the attention of manufacturers. KID intern and author of the report Jordan Durrett believes manufacturers can spread the word about recalls to consumers through social media. “Social media is recognized as an important marketing tool with the power to reach across wide audiences,” Durrett said, “Yet so few manufacturers use this potentially powerful tool to warn their consumers about dangerous recalls. More emphasis on social media notifications could raise consumer awareness and increase recall effectiveness.”

According to the report, there were 63 recalls in 2013 where a manufacturer had a Facebook page, but only nine incidences where the manufacturer mentioned their product recall on Facebook. Similarly, 63 manufacturers had Twitter accounts, but only eight mentioned a product recall through the account.

How to Keep Your Family Safe

Lisa Siefert, whose son Shane was killed by a falling dresser, believes parents can protect their family by reporting any unsafe products to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. “I’m not sure people are aware that a small incident in their home may result in a death if it remains unreported,” Siefert said.

KID also suggests that parents seek out recall knowledge by utilizing the SaferProducts.gov website for the news on the latest recalls and injury reports. Parents can also sign up for safety updates at KID’s website KidsinDanger.org.

To view the full report – After the Recall: Dangerous Products Remain in Homes – please click the following link: http://www.kidsindanger.org/docs/reports/KID_Recall_Report_2013_Final.pdf