CPSC Reminds Retailers of Drawstring Guidelines and Hazards
December 2007 (07B-172)
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a letter to retailers and test laboratories restating their position on drawstrings. The letter helps to answer in part questions prompted by recent recalls on pants due to drawstrings and also reminds retailers of the existing guidelines and dangers of drawstrings. A summary of the letter follows.
Background: Recently, CPSC issued recalls of two pant styles that contained drawstrings at the waist. The voluntary recalls were due to concerns by the retailers that the pants may pose an entanglement/entrapment hazard. The CPSC has not changed its position concerning drawstrings. Pants are not included in the Guidelines. The recall was a voluntary action on the part of the retailers. |
CPSC Letter on Drawstrings: Key Points
 The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) reminds all retailers that children’s upper outerwear must comply with the current consensus safety standard, ASTM F-1816, Consumer Safety Specification for Drawstrings on Children’s Upper Outerwear. The standard has been in place since 1997, and the interim period shows a marked decrease in fatalities and incidents caused by drawstrings entanglement.
The CPSC Office of Compliance Staff considers children’s upper outerwear with drawstrings at the hood or neck area to be defective, and to present a substantial risk of injury to young children. Should the Staff encounter such products, they will seek an immediate recall.
CPSC further recommends that the ends of waist/bottom drawstrings measure no more than 3 inches from where the strings extend out of the garment when it is expanded to its fullest width.
Also, the drawstring should be sewn to the garment at its midpoint so the string cannot be pulled to one side, making it long enough to catch on something. CPSC also recommends eliminating toggles or knots at the ends of all drawstrings. These guidelines apply only to children’s upper outerwear, such as jackets and sweatshirts.
The Office of Compliance and Field Operations Staff has seen a recent increase in children’s upper outerwear containing drawstrings being offered for sale that require recalls. CPSC Staff monitors compliance with this voluntary standard and others in various ways, including retail and Internet surveillance.
Additional Resources
CPSC Recommended Guidelines for Drawstrings on Children’s Upper Outerwear can be found at: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/208.pdf
Contact Information
If you have any comments and/or questions, please contact your customer service representative or Jennifer Hargrave at: jennifer.hargrave@us.bureauveritas.com
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