Dangerous Drawstrings In Children Clothing

Our Atlanta product liability attorneys have represented parents of children killed and seriously injured by dangerous products.
Drawstrings in hooded sweatshirts have been long recognized as a danger to small children. There have been many reports of children strangled after the drawstrings have been accidently caught in various devices. Some of these incidents have resulted in death.
In November 2008, a 3-year-old boy died in Fresno, Calif., when the drawstring on his Hill Sportswear hooded sweatshirt became stuck on a playground set strangling him. Hill Sportswear and the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall of the sweatshirts in February of this year.
The CPSC issued guidelines in 1996 to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled in the neck or waist drawstrings in jackets and sweatshirts. In 1997, the clothing industry adopted a voluntary standard for drawstrings that incorporated the CPSC guidelines.
In May 2006, the CPSC ruled that children’s sweatshirts or jackets with drawstrings at the hood or neck would be regarded as defective and presenting a substantial risk of injury to young children.
Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to report to the agency within 24 hours that a product contains a defect that causes a safety hazard or doesn’t comply with consumer product safety rules.
The CPSC announced Tuesday that it had levied fines against four companies for improperly selling hooded sweatshirts or jackets that have drawstrings at the neck.
The CPSC fined the following companies for selling these dangerous products.
Kohl’s Department Stores Inc. of Menomonee Falls, Wis., which has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $425,000. In 2008, Kohl’s paid a $35,000 civil penalty for failing to report drawstrings in children’s sweatshirts.
Maran Inc. of North Bergen, N.J. and K.S. Trading Corp. of Moonachie, N.J., which agreed to pay a total of $85,000 in civil penalties.
Hill Sportswear Inc. of Paramount, Calif., which agreed to pay a civil penalty of $100,000.
About 120,000 Hill Sportswear sweatshirts with drawstring were sold at various small retailers in California and Texas from 2003 through December 2008 for approximately $8 apiece.
This is a serious hazard. If your children have any garments with drawstrings in the hoods you should immediately remove the drawstrings from the sweatshirts or return the garments to either the place of purchase or to manufacturer.